1144 – Abū Muhammad Yahyā ibn Sā‘id reported to us: Muhammad ibn Yazīd Abū Hishām al-Rifā‘ī, Ya‘qūb ibn Ibrāhīm al-Dawraqī, and al-Hasan ibn ‘Arafa reported to us, saying: Abū Bakr ibn ‘Ayyāsh reported to us: ‘Āsim reported to us, from Zirr ibn Hubaysh, ⦗1676⦘ from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ūd, who said: “Allah Most High looked into the hearts of His servants and found the heart of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to be the best of their hearts. He therefore chose him for Himself and sent him with His message. Then, after the heart of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), He looked into the hearts of His servants and found the hearts of his Companions to be the best of their hearts. He therefore made them the supporters of His Prophet, fighting for His religion.”

1145 – Abū Bakr ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Hamīd al-Wāsitī also reported to me: Abū Hishām al-Rifā‘ī and Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbār al-Sūfī reported to us, saying: Abū Bakr ibn ‘Ayyāsh reported to us, and he narrated the same hadith.