Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 343

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ishaq ibn Musa narrated to us: Yunus ibn Bukayr narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from Ziyad ibn Abi Ziyad, from Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi, from ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would turn his face and conversation toward the worst of the people, thereby winning them over. He would turn his face and conversation toward me, too, until I thought I was the best of the people. I said, “Messenger of Allah, am I better, or Abu Bakr?” He said, “Abu Bakr.” I said, “Messenger of Allah, am I better, or ‘Umar?” He said, “‘Umar.” I said, “Messenger of Allah, am I better, or ‘Uthman?” He said, “‘Uthman.” When I asked the Messenger of Allah and he told me the truth, I wished that I had not asked him.