Hadith 52
The Book of the Merits of the Companions
Imran b. Husain reported Allah's-Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
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.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ غُنْدَرٍ، قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَمْرَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي زَهْدَمُ بْنُ، مُضَرِّبٍ سَمِعْتُ عِمْرَانَ بْنَ حُصَيْنٍ، يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ خَيْرَكُمْ قَرْنِي ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ " . قَالَ عِمْرَانُ فَلاَ أَدْرِي أَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدَ قَرْنِهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثَةً " ثُمَّ يَكُونُ بَعْدَهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَشْهَدُونَ وَلاَ يُسْتَشْهَدُونَ وَيَخُونُونَ وَلاَ يُتَّمَنُونَ وَيَنْذُرُونَ وَلاَ يُوفُونَ وَيَظْهَرُ فِيهِمُ السِّمَنُ " .
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