Abdur Rahman bin Ghanm (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) as governor over Sham, and wrote to him: Give the people their stipends, and go out on campaign with them. Once, while he was giving the people their stipends - and this was towards the end of the time - a man from the countryside came and said: O Mu'adh, order my stipend for me, for I am a man of the countryside from such-and-such a place; perhaps I may reach my family before nightfall. He said: No, by Allah, I will not give to you until I have given to these - meaning the people of the city. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "All the prophets will enter Paradise forty years before Sulayman bin Dawud. The poor among the Muslims will enter Paradise forty years before their rich. The righteous slaves will enter Paradise forty years before the others. And the people of the cities will enter Paradise forty years before the people of the countryside, because of the virtue of the cities, the congregations, the Friday prayers and the circles of remembrance. And when a trial comes, they (the city people) are singled out for it rather than them (the country people)."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الكبير للطبراني / باب الميم / 17278