Al 'Abbas told that he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) who seemed to have heard something and so mounted the pulpit and asked, "Who am I?" On being told that he was God's messenger he said, "I am Muhammad son of `Abdallah son of Abd al-Muttalib. God created all creatures and placed me among the best of them, then put them in two sections[*] and placed me in the better section, then made them into tribes and placed me in the best tribe, then made them into families and placed me in the best family, and I am inherently the best of them and come of the best family."
*Mirqat; 5:366, explains this as meaning Arabs and foreigners, with which may be compared the contrast between Jews and Gentiles, or Greeks and barbarians.
Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Khabbab b. al-Aratt said: God's messenger led us in prayer and prolonged it, and when the people said, "Messenger of God, you have prayed a prayer such as you have not been accustomed to pray," he replied, "Yes, it was a…
Abu Malik al-Ash'ari reported God's messenger as saying, "God who is great and glorious has protected you from three things: that your prophet should not invoke a curse on you and you should all perish, that those who fo…
'Auf b. Malik reported God's messenger as saying, "God will not cause two swords to smite this people together, one from among itself and one from its enemy."
Abu Dawud transmitted it.
Abu Huraira told that when God's messenger was asked when the office of prophet had been established for him, he replied, "When Adam had not yet had his spirit joined to his body."
Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Al- `Irbad b. Sariya reported God's messenger as saying, "I was inscribed in God's presence as the seal of the prophets when Adam was prone in his basic substance[1]. I shall inform you about the beginning of my career:…
Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be preeminent among the descendants of Adam on the day of resurrection, and this is no boast; and in my hand will be the banner of praise, and this is no boast. Ther…