(11) باب فِي النَّهْىِ عَنْ سَبِّ، أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
'Amr b. Abl Qurrah said :
Hudhaifah was in al-Mada'in. He used to mention things which the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said to some people from among his Companions in anger. The people who heard from Hudhaifah would go to Salman and tell him what Hudhaifah said. Salman would say: Hudhaifah knows best what he says. Then they would come to Hudhaifah and tell him: We mentioned Salman what you said, but he neither testified you nor falsified you. So Hudhaifah came to salman who was in his vegetable farm, and said : Salman, what prevents you from testifying me of what I heard from the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) ? Salman said: The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) sometimes would be angry, and said in anger something to some of his Companions; he would be sometimes pleased and said in pleasure something to some of his Companions. Would you not stop until you create love of some people in the hearts of some people, and hatred of some people in the hearts of some people, and until you generate disagreement and dissension? You know that the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) addressed, saying : If I abused any person of my people, or cursed him in my anger. I am one of the children of Adam : I become angry as they become angry. He (Allah) has sent me as a mercy for all worlds. (O Allah!) make them (Abuse or curse) blessing for them on the day of judgment! I swear by Allah. You should stop (mentioning these traditions), otherwise I shall writ to 'Umar.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4659
In-book reference: Book 42, Hadith 64
English translation: Book 41, Hadith 4642