Another corroborating report has the wording: “After fearing Allah, a believer gains nothing better than a righteous wife …”—to the end of the hadith. It is recorded in the other book as no. 4421, and in al-Mishkāh as no. 3095.

1839 — “The best of my community is the generation in which I was sent, then those who come after them, [then those who come after them]—and Allah knows best whether he mentioned the third or not—then there will succeed them people who love fatness and give testimony before they are asked to do so.”

Muslim recorded it (7/184), as did al-Ṭayālisī (p. 332, no. 2550) and Aḥmad (2/228, 410, and 479), through Abū Bishr, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Shafīq, from Abū Hurayrah, as a report attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The words in parentheses are an addition found in one of Aḥmad’s versions.

Aḥmad also recorded it (2/297 and 340) through Muḥammad ibn ʿAjlān, from his father, from Abū Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked, “Which people are best?” He replied: “I and those with me; then those who follow in their footsteps; then those who follow in their footsteps.” Then he appeared to dismiss those who came after them. This is a good chain.

It also has a corroborating report from the hadith of ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn: “The best of my community are those among whom I was sent, then those who come after them, then those who come after them—and Allah knows best whether he mentioned the third or not—then there will appear people who give testimony without being asked to do so, make vows but do not fulfil them, betray trust and are not trusted, and among whom obesity will become widespread.”