Question
Kindly provide the reference, authentication, and Arabic wording of the following narration:
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: “Allah looked into the hearts of His slaves and found that the heart of Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was the best of all His slaves’ hearts. So He chose him for Himself and sent him with His Message. Then He looked into the hearts of all His slaves after the heart of Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and He found that the hearts of his companions were the best of all His slaves’ hearts, so He made them the helpers of His Prophet, fighting for the sake of his religion. So what the Muslims think is good, is good before Allah, and whatever the Muslims think is bad, is bad before Allah.”
Answer
Imam Ahmad and others (rahimahumullah) have recorded this narration as the statement of Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu ‘anhu). Nonetheless, the context and nature of this narration are such that Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu ‘anhu) will be understood to have heard it from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) (مرفوع حكما).
(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1 pg. 379; Also see: the footnotes of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah – hafizahullah – on his Dirasah of Taqribut Tahdhib, pg. 53)
‘Allamah Sakhawi and others (rahimahumullah) have graded this Hadith as sound (hasan).
(Al-Maqasidul Hasanah, Hadith: 957; Also see: Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 1 pg. 177, Mukhtasarul Maqasid, Hadith: 885, and Kashful Kahafa, vol. 2 pg. 245)
Arabic wording
عن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال : إن الله نظر في قلوب العباد فوجد قلب محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم خير قلوب العباد فاصطفاه لنفسه فابتعثه برسالته ثم نظر في قلوب العباد بعد قلب محمد فوجد قلوب أصحابه خير قلوب العباد فجعلهم وزراء نبيه يقاتلون على دينه فما رأى المسلمون حسنا فهو عند الله حسن وما رأوا سيئا فهو عند الله سيئ
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Farhan Shariff
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar