The virtue of this Ummah

It is narrated from Makhul (may Allah have mercy on him) that a Jewish man owed Sayyiduna Umar al-Faruq (may Allah be pleased with him) some financial right (a debt). So he went to him to claim his right, and when he met him, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said (during the conversation): "No, by the One who chose and selected Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over all mankind, I will not leave you until I have collected my right from you." At this the Jew said: "By Allah, Allah did not select Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over all mankind." Hearing this, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) slapped him. The Jew said: "Abu al-Qasim (Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)) will judge between me and you." (When they reached the court of the Messenger) he said: Umar said, "No, by the One who selected Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over all mankind," and I said in reply, "By Allah, Allah did not select Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over all mankind," whereupon he slapped me. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Umar, as for you, make him content by compensating him for his slap." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Jew, listen: Adam (peace be upon him) is Safiyyullah (the chosen one of Allah), Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is Khalilullah (the intimate friend of Allah), Musa (peace be upon him) is Najiyyullah (the one who conversed intimately with Allah), Isa (peace be upon him) is Ruhullah (a spirit from Allah), and I am Habibullah (the beloved of Allah). Rather, O Jew, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has named my Ummah with two of His own names: He Himself is al-Salam (the Source of Peace), and after it He named my Ummah al-Muslimin (the Muslims); and He Himself is al-Mu'min (the Giver of Security), and with that name He named my Ummah al-Mu'minin (the believers).
Rather, O Jew, you people sought a day (a special day of worship) that had been stored up for us. So today (Friday) is ours, tomorrow (Saturday) is yours, and the day after (Sunday) is for the Christians. O Jew, you came first (in the world), but we, despite being the last, will be the foremost on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, Paradise is forbidden to all the prophets until I enter it, and it is forbidden to all the nations until my Ummah enters it."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I asked my Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, specifically for my Ummah, as distinct from the rest of mankind, that He not afflict them with (an all-destroying) punishment, and Allah Almighty accepted this plea of mine and granted it to me."
Imam Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah recorded this hadith in his Musnad, and the narrators of its chain are thiqat (trustworthy).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah and Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon to us. Before speaking, he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), and he called out "al-Salatu jami'ah" (gather for the prayer). So the people gathered around him (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended the pulpit and said three times: "O people, come closer and make room for those behind you." The people came closer and sat close to one another; then they turned and looked but saw no one. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said (again): "Come closer and make room for those behind you." The people came closer still and pressed against one another; they turned and looked but still found no one. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said the same thing a third time, and still they saw no one (behind them). Then a man stood up and said: For whom should we make room? For the angels? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No. When the angels are with you, they are not in front of you or behind you, but on your right and on your left." The man said: (If) they are not in front of us or behind us, are they better than us? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rather, you are better than the angels. Sit down." So the man sat down.
The chain of this narration is extremely weak, indeed fabricated (mawdu'), because it contains narrators named Dawud bin al-Muhabbar and Maysarah bin Abd Rabbih, who are known as liars and fabricators of narrations.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The example of my Ummah is like rain; it is not known whether its first part is more beneficial or its last."
Ibn Abi Umar narrated this hadith in his Musnad. Its chain contains Abdul Rahman bin Ziyad bin An'um al-Ifriqi, a da'if (weak) narrator; however, on the basis of other routes and supporting reports, the text of this hadith is of the hasan (good) level and is strengthened.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, among the former nations, a hundred (people) constituted an ummah (a body of witnesses); when they testified to the good of a servant, Paradise became obligatory for him. And in my Ummah, fifty of them constitute an ummah; so when they testify to the good of a servant, Paradise becomes obligatory for him."
Imam Abu Ya'la narrated this hadith in his Musnad (4183). Its chain contains the narrators Zaynab bint Yazid and Harb bin Surayj, on account of whom some imams have criticised its chain; however, its meaning is established by other authentic hadiths (such as "You are the witnesses of Allah on earth").

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This Ummah will remain steadfast upon goodness as long as it keeps this quality: when it speaks, it speaks the truth; when it issues a judgement or ruling, it keeps it based on justice and fairness; and when mercy is begged of it, it acts with mercy."
The chain of this narration is da'if (weak) because of the weakness of Ishaq bin Yahya bin Talhah; however, the moral teachings mentioned in the hadith are established by other authentic texts.

It is narrated from a Companion from among the Muhajirun (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The punishment of this Ummah (the Ummah of Muhammad) is by the sword (that is, as recompense for their sins, mutual fighting, trials and strife are imposed upon them)."
Takhrij and grading: The chain of this narration is sahih (authentic). Although the Companion's name is not explicitly mentioned in it, all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) are upright, and not knowing his name does not harm the soundness of the chain. Imam Ahmad narrated it in his Musnad [hadith: 19828] and Imam Abu Dawud in his Sunan [hadith: 4298].

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Indeed, this Ummah (of Muhammad) is an Ummah upon which is the special mercy and compassion of Allah Almighty; there is no (lasting) punishment upon it (in the Hereafter), except the punishment it brings upon itself (in the form of mutual trials and civil war)." I (Abu Hazim) said: How will this Ummah punish itself? He said (explaining): "Was not the Day of al-Nahr (the Battle of Nahrawan) a punishment? Was not the Day of the Camel a punishment? And was not the Day of Siffin a punishment?"
Takhrij: Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated this in al-Musannaf (37837). Its chain is jayyid (good), and its supporting reports are also found in marfu' form in Sunan Abi Dawud (4278) and Musnad Ahmad (19694), which Allamah al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared sahih (authentic).