حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ ذُؤَيْبٍ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَهُمْ جُلُوسٌ فَقَالَ أَلَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ النَّاسِ مَنْزِلَةً فَقَالُوا بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُمْسِكٌ بِعِنَانِ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ أَوْ يُقْتَلَ أَفَأُخْبِرُكُمْ بِالَّذِي يَلِيهِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ امْرُؤٌ مُعْتَزِلٌ فِي شِعْبٍ يُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَيَعْتَزِلُ شُرُورَ النَّاسِ أَفَأُخْبِرُكُمْ بِشَرِّ النَّاسِ مَنْزِلَةً قَالُوا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ الَّذِي يُسْأَلُ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا يُعْطِي بِهِ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 2116
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came out to them when they were sitting, and said: "Shall I not tell you of the best of people in status?" They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: A man who holds on to his horse's head for the sake of Allah, until he dies or is killed. And shall I not tell you of the next best?" They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: "A man who stays away in a mountain pass, establishing prayer and paying zakah, avoiding people's evil. And shall I not tell you of the worst of people in status?" They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: "The one who is urged for the sake of Allah to give, but he does not give."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020