758 - Muhammad ibn Abi Harun and Muhammad ibn Ja'far informed me that Abu al-Harith narrated to them, saying: I heard Abu Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] say: The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The best of people is my generation." Thus, no one among the Successors (al-Tabi'in) is to be compared to his Companions. Abu Abd Allah also said: "Whoever disparages anyone from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, harbors nothing but a calamity, and he possesses a hidden evil, for he has targeted the best of people, and they are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." This is sufficient for you.
٧٥٨ - أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي هَارُونَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا الْحَارِثِ حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ: قَالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي» . فَلَا يُقَاسُ بِأَصْحَابِهِ أَحَدٌ مِنَ التَّابِعِينَ. وَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: «مَنْ تَنَقَّصَ أَحَدًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَا يَنْطَوِي إِلَّا عَلَى بَلِيَّةٍ، وَلَهُ خَبِيئَةُ سَوْءٍ، إِذَا قَصَدَ إِلَى خَيْرِ النَّاسِ، وَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ» حَسْبُكَ
