حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُوسَی قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ بُکَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ کَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ کَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلی الله عليه وسلم يُقْبِلُ بِوَجْهِهِ وَحَدِيثِهِ عَلَی أَشَرِّ الْقَوْمِ يَتَأَلَّفُهُمْ بِذَلِکَ فَکَانَ يُقْبِلُ بِوَجْهِهِ وَحَدِيثِهِ عَلَيَّ حَتَّی ظَنَنْتُ أَنِّي خَيْرُ الْقَوْمِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا خَيْرٌ أَوْ أَبُو بَکْرٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَکْرٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا خَيْرٌ أَوْ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا خَيْرٌ أَوْ عُثْمَانُ فَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ فَلَمَّا سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلی الله عليه وسلم فَصَدَقَنِي فَلَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَکُنْ سَأَلْتُهُ
شمائل المحمدية / شمائل ترمزی · Hadith 322
'Amr ibnul 'Aas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports: "(Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam gave attention, spoke and showed love to the worst person of a nation. So that, the person may feel he is being given special attention). He used to give attention, and spoke to me also in a manner, that I began to feel that I was the best among the community. (Therefore one day) I asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, am I better or is Abubakr better?' He replied: 'Abubakr'. I then asked: 'Am I better, or 'Umar?' He replied. "Umar'. I asked: 'Am I better or 'Uthmaan?' He replied: 'Uthmaan'.When I asked him these questions, Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam told me the truth. (He did not tell me I was better to keep me happy. Afterwards I felt ashamed of myself on this deed). I felt I should not have asked such a question".
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020