“O Aktham! Fight alongside people other than your own, it will improve your attitude and make you generous to your companions. O Aktham, the best number of companions is four, the best number of troops on an expedition is four hundred, the best number of an army is four thousand, and twelve thousand will never be overpowered because of their small number.”  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لأَكْثَمَ بْنِ الْجَوْنِ الْخُزَاعِيِّ يَا أَكْثَمُ اغْزُ مَعَ غَيْرِ قَوْمِكَ يَحْسُنْ خُلُقُكَ وَتَكْرُمْ عَلَى رُفَقَائِكَ يَا أَكْثَمُ خَيْرُ الرُّفَقَاءِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلاَفٍ وَلَنْ يُغْلَبَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ  

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). (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2611)   

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَيْرُ الصَّحَابَةِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلافٍ وَلا يُغْلَبُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The best companions are four, and the best armies are four thousand. And he, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , said: 'A people will not be defeated due to their small number, as long as they reach twelve thousand.'"  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَيْرُ الْأَصْحَابِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُ مِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلافٍ قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَنْ يُغْلَبَ قَوْمٌ عَنْ قِلَّةٍ يَبْلُغُونَ أَنْ يَكُونُوا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The best of companions are four, and the best of armies are four thousand, and the best of fortresses are four hundred. And if the number does not exceed twelve thousand, they should remain patient and truthful, for they will prevail despite their small number."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «خَيْرُ الْأَصْحَابِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُ مِائَةٍ وَمَا بَلَغَ اثْنَي عَشَرَ أَلْفًا فَصَبَرُوا وَصَدَقُوا فَغُلِبُوا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ»  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The best of companions are four, and the best of expeditions are four hundred, and the best of armies are four thousand, and twelve thousand will not be defeated due to their few numbers." This is an authentic chain of narration according to the conditions of the two sheikhs (referring to Al-Bukhari and Muslim). They did not exclude it due to any dispute among the narrators concerning it from Az-Zuhri.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «خَيْرُ الصَّحَابَةِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُ مِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَلَنْ يُغْلَبَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةَ» هَذَا إِسْنَادٌ صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ الشَّيْخَيْنِ وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ لِخِلَافٍ بَيْنَ النَّاقِلِينَ فِيهِ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ لم يخرجاه لخلاف بين أصحاب الزهري فيه  

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). (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2611)   

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «خَيْرُ الصَّحَابَةِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُ مِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَلَنْ يُغْلَبَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ»  

"خَيْرُ الصَّحابَةِ أَرْبعَةٌ، وخَيْرُ السرايا أَربعُمائةٍ، وخَيْرُ الجيوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ، ولَا يُهْزَمُ اثنا عشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ" زاد كر: إِذا صَبرُوا وصَدقُوا".  

" يَا أكْثَمُ: لاَ يَصْحَبُكَ إِلا أمِينٌ، وَلاَ يأكُلُ طَعَامَكَ إِلا أمينٌ، وخيرُ السَّرايَا أربَعُمائةٍ، وخيرُ الجيوشِ أربعةُ آلاف، ولن يُغْلَبَ قومٌ يبلغون اثنى عَشر ألفًا ".