Hadith 31381

Chapter 89

باب 89

(89) باب فِيمَا يُسْتَحَبُّ مِنَ الْجُيُوشِ وَالرُّفَقَاءِ وَالسَّرَايَا

(936) Chapter: Regarding What Is Recommended In Armies, Companies, And Expeditions (DE)
135
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي قَالَ، سَمِعْتُ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خَيْرُ الصَّحَابَةِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلاَفٍ وَلَنْ يُغْلَبَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّهُ مُرْسَلٌ .

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The best number of companions is four, the best number in expeditions four hundred, and the best number in armies four thousand; and twelve thousand will not be overcome through smallness of numbers.Abu Dawud said: What is correct is that this tradition is mursal (i.e. the link of the Companion is missing). (DE)

Reference (DE): Sunan Abi Dawud 2611 (DE)

In-book reference (DE): Book 15, Hadith 135 (DE)

English translation (DE): Book 14, Hadith 2605 (DE)