Chapter: The Virtues Of the Sahabah, Then Those Who Come After Them, Then Those Who Come After Them

A time would come for the people when groups of people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and they would be victorious. Then the people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw those (who have had the privilege of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and victory would be granted to them. Then a group of persons would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw one of those who saw those who (had the privilege) of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and the Victory would be granted to them.

There would come to the people a time when a detachment would be sent for fighting in the cause of Allah and they would say: See, if you can find amongst them someone from amongst the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). They would find a person and they would be granted victory because of him. Then a second detachment would be sent to them and they would say: Do you find amongst them one who had had the privilege of seeing the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? -and the victory would be granted to them because of him. Then the third detachment would be sent and it would be said to them: See, if you find amongst them (who had had the honour of seeing one) who saw those who saw the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Then the fourth detachment would be sent and it would be said to them: See it you find amongst them one who had the privilege (of seeing) one who saw those who saw those who saw the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and a person would be found and they would be granted victory because of him.

The best of my Umma would be those of the generation nearest to mine. Then those nearest to them, then those nearest to them, then people would come whose witness would precede the oath and the oath will precede the witness. Hannad has not made the mention of Qarn in his narration. Qutaiba said that, instead of the word Qaum, the word Aqwam has been used.

It was asked from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) who amongst the people were the best. He said: (People) of my generation, then those next to them, then those next to them, then there would come a people whose evidence would precede their oath and their oath would precede their evidence. Ibrahim said: They forbade us to make vows and bear witness when we were too young.

This hadith has been transmitted by Mansur on the authority of Abu al-Ahwas and Jarir with a slight variation of wording.

The best among people are of my generation, then those next to them. (The narrator said): I do not know whether (he said) it three times or four times. Then there would fellow after them such persons whose evidence would precede the oath, and in case of some others, the oath (would precede) the evidence.

The best age of my Umma is one in which I was sent (by Allah as an Apostle), then the one next to that. (The narrator said): And Allah knows best whether he stated this third (time) or not. Then there would come people who would love (to look) bulky and they would hasten to the witness box before they are asked to bear witness.

I do not know whether he (the Holy Prophet) said (these words:" Then next" ) twice or thrice.

The best among you (are) the people (who belong to) my age. Then those next to them, then those next to them, then those next to them. 'Imran said: I do not know whether Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said twice or thrice (the words:" Then next" ) after (saying) about his (own age but he then said): Then after them (after successors or those who would succeed them) would come a people who would give evidence before they are asked for it, and would be dishonest and not trustworthy, who would make vows but would not fulfil them, and would be significant in being bulky.

I do not know whether he made a mention of two generations after his generation or of the third one too. Shababa said: I heard this from Zahdam b. Mudarrib as he came to me riding a horse for some need and he narrated it to me that he had heard it from 'Imran b. Husain, and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Yahya and Shababa (the words are): They take an oath but they do not fulfil it, and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Bahz there the word is Yafun as transmitted on the authority of Ibn Ja'far.

The best generation of this Umma is the generation to which I have been sent, then the next one, and there is an addition in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Abu 'Awana (and the words are): And Allah knows best whether he made a mention of the third (generation) or not; the rest of the hadith is the same as transmitted by Zahdam on the authority of 'Imran. And in the hadith transmitted by Hisham on the authority of Qatada there is an addition of these words: They take an oath whereas they are not asked to take.

Of the generation to which I belong, then of the second generation (generation adjacent to my generation), then of the third generation (generation adjacent to the second generation).