It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon, and he sat down. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him): "Have you prayed?" He said: "No." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Stand up and pray." So he stood up and prayed two rak'ahs. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Did you seek refuge in them (the two rak'ahs) from the evil of the devils among the jinn and mankind?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Who was the first of the prophets?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sayyiduna Adam (peace be upon him)." I asked: "Was he a prophet?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes, one who was spoken to (by Allah)." I asked: "Then who?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sayyiduna Nuh (peace be upon him), and between the two of them there were ten generations." I asked: "Then who?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sayyiduna Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and between the two of them there were ten generations." I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Tell me about the prayer." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "(The prayer) is the best good deed laid out (for the servants); whoever wishes may do much of it." I asked: "What is charity?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "(Gaining reward) many times over, multiplied." I asked: "What is fasting?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Fasting is a shield (against sins); and Allah Almighty has said: Fasting is for Me and I Myself will reward it. By the One in whose hand is my soul! The smell of the fasting person's mouth is purer with Allah than the fragrance of musk." I asked: "Which charity is the best?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The giving of a poor person to the best of his ability (with effort), and giving secretly to someone in need." I said: "Which freeing of a slave is the best?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who is the most expensive in price."
Imam al-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "No one other than Khalid bin Yazid (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated this hadith from Safwan bin Sulaym (may Allah have mercy on him), and Ibn Lahi'ah (may Allah have mercy on him) is alone in narrating it."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الأوسط / باب العين / 4721
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده ضعيف لضعف ابن لهيعة، وشذ بقوله: وهو يخطب
Hadith Takhrij«قال ابن حجر: في إسناده ابن لهيعة وشذ بقوله وهو يخطب «فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري، ج 2، ص 473»» «قال الهيثمي: فيه ابن لهيعة وهو ضعيف «مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد، ج 1، ص 197»» «قال بدر الدين العيني: وفي إسناده ابن لهيعة وشذ بقوله وهو يخطب «عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري، ج 6، ص 231»» «أخرجه ابن حبان فى «صحيحه» برقم: 361، 449، 820، والحاكم فى «المستدرك» برقم: 3133، 4188، والنسائي فى «المجتبى» برقم: 5522 / 1، والنسائي فى «السنن الكبرى» برقم: 7891، 9758، 9788، 10114، 11240، وابن ماجه فى «سننه» برقم: 3825، 4218، والبيهقي فى «السنن الكبرى» برقم: 17784، 20244، 20243، وأحمد فى «مسنده» برقم: 21693، 21731، 21742، 21745، 21762، 21783، 21790، 21791، 21814، 21904، 21909، 21917، 21918، 21947، 21953، والطيالسي فى «مسنده» برقم: 480، والحميدي فى «مسنده» برقم: 130، والبزار فى «مسنده» برقم: 3966، 4020، 4031، 4034، 4049، وابن حجر فى «المطالب العالية» برقم: 646 / 3، 646 / 1، 646 / 2، 953، 3322 / 1، 3322 / 2، 3417، 3424، 3441، 3442، 3443 / 1، 3443 / 2، 3553، وابن أبي شيبة فى «مصنفه» برقم: 3442، 35491، 36408، 37083، والطبراني فى «الكبير» برقم: 1642، 1649، 1648، 1651، والطبراني فى «الصغير» برقم: 758، والطبراني فى «الأوسط» برقم: 4259، 5639، 7335، 7739»