Al-Duri narrated it to us, saying: Nuh ibn Yazid al-Mu'addib narrated to us, saying: Ibrahim ibn Sa'd narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, who said: "I have not seen anyone after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was 'aswad' (generous/superior) more than Mu'awiyah." He [the narrator] said: I asked, "Was he more 'aswad' than Abu Bakr?" He replied, "He is, by Allah, better than him, and he, by Allah, was more 'aswad' than Abu Bakr." He said: I asked, "Was he more 'aswad' than 'Umar?" He replied, "'Umar, by Allah, was better than him, and he, by Allah, was more 'aswad' than 'Umar." He said: I asked, "Was he more 'aswad' than 'Uthman?" He replied, "By Allah, 'Uthman was indeed a master, and he was more 'aswad' than him." Al-Duri said: Some of our companions said: Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: The meaning of 'aswad' is more generous.
حَدَّثَنَاهُ الدُّورِيُّ قَالَ: ثَنَا نُوحُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْمُؤَدِّبُ قَالَ: ثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: «مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ» . قَالَ: قُلْتُ: هُوَ كَانَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ؟ قَالَ: هُوَ وَاللَّهِ أَخْيَرُ مِنْهُ، وَهُوَ وَاللَّهِ كَانَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ". قَالَ: قُلْتُ: فَهُوَ كَانَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْ عُمَرَ؟ قَالَ: عُمَرُ وَاللَّهِ كَانَ أَخْيَرَ مِنْهُ، وَهُوَ وَاللَّهِ أَسْوَدُ مِنْ عُمَرَ ". قَالَ: قُلْتُ: هُوَ كَانَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْ عُثْمَانَ؟ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ إِنْ كَانَ عُثْمَانُ لَسَيِّدًا، وَهُوَ كَانَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْهُ ". قَالَ الدُّورِيُّ: قَالَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا: قَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ: مَعْنَى ⦗٤٤٢⦘ أَسْوَدًا أَيْ أَسْخَى
