[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The best companions are four, the best horsemen are four hundred, and the best armies are four thousand. Twelve thousand will not be defeated by a small number. Jarir ibn Hazim narrated it in a connected manner, and 'Uthman ibn 'Umar narrated it from Yunus from Aqil from Az-Zuhri from the Prophet ﷺ in a disconnected manner." Abu Dawud said, "Jarir ibn Hazim is the only narrator of this hadith, and it is a mistake."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَيْرُ الْأَصْحَابِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَلَنْ يُغْلَبَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ مَوْصُولًا وَرَوَاهُ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ عَقِيلٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مُنْقَطِعًا قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ أَسْنَدَهُ جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ  

“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.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 2827)   

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَا أَكْثَمُ بْنَ الْجَوْنِ اغْزُ مَعَ غَيْرِ قَوْمِكَ يَحْسُنْ خُلُقُكَ وَتُكْرَمْ عَلَى رُفَقَائِكَ يَا أَكْثَمُ بْنَ الْجَوْنِ خَيْرُ الرُّفَقَاءِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ الطَّلَائِعِ أَرْبَعُونَ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ الَآفٍ وَلَنْ يُؤْتَى اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ يَا أَكْثَمُ بْنَ الْجَوْنِ لَا تُرَافِقِ الْمِائَتَيْنِ