Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
Qurʾān Bukhārī Muslim Nasāʾī Abū Dāwūd Tirmidhī Ibn Mājah Mālik Aḥmad Dārimī Ḥākim Ibn Ḥibbān Ṭabarānī Nasāʾī's Kubrá Bayhaqī al-Luʾluʾ wa-al-Marjān Ibn Rajab's Fifty Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn Aḥmad's Zuhd Suyūṭī
bukhari:4689 – Muḥammad > ʿAbdah > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "Who are the most honorable of the people?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "The most honorable of them in Allah's Sight are those who keep their duty to Allah and fear Him. They said, "We do not ask you about that." He said, "Then the most honorable of the people is Joseph, Allah's prophet, the son of Allah's prophet, the son of Allah's prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil i.e. Abraham) They said, "We do not ask you about that." The Prophet ﷺ said, Do you ask about (the virtues of the ancestry of the Arabs?" They said, "Yes," He said, "Those who were the best amongst you in the Prelslamic Period are the best amongst you in Islam if they comprehend (the Islamic religion).  

البخاري:٤٦٨٩ – حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَكْرَمُ قَالَ أَكْرَمُهُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاهُمْ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَأَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ يُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَخِيَارُكُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُكُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا  

تَابَعَهُ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Aḥmad, Dārimī, Nasāʾī's Kubrá

The most honorable people are the ones who are most God-conscious and God-fearing

bukhari:3353 – ʿAlī b. ʿAbdullāh > Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd from his father from my father > Abū Hurayrah

The people said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Who is the most honorable amongst the people (in Allah's Sight)?" He said, "The most righteous amongst them." They said, "We do not ask you, about this. " He said, "Then Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, The son of Allah's Prophet the son of Allah's Khalil (i.e. Abraham)." They said, "We do not want to ask about this," He said, "Then you want to ask about the descent of the Arabs. Those who were the best in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance will be the best in Islam provided they comprehend the religious knowledge."  

البخاري:٣٣٥٣ – حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ؟ قَالَ: «أَتْقَاهُمْ۔» فَقَالُوا: لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ۔ قَالَ: «فَيُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ۔» قَالُوا: لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ۔ قَالَ: «فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونَ، خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ إِذَا فَقُهُوا۔»  

قَالَ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ وَمُعْتَمِرٌ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ
bukhari:3374 – Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > al-Muʿtamir > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd al-Maqburī > Abū Hurayrah > Qīl Lilnnabī ﷺ Man Akram al-Nās > Akramuhum Atqāhum > Yā Nabī Allāh Lays > Hadhā Nasʾaluk > Faʾakram al-Nās Yūsuf Nabī Allāh Ibn Nabī Allāh Ibn Nabī Allāh Ibn Khalīl Allāh > Lays > Hadhā Nasʾaluk > Faʿan Maʿādin al-ʿArab Tasʾalūnī > Naʿam

Some people asked the Prophet: "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He replied, "The most honorable among them is the one who is the most Allah-fearing." They said, "O Allah's Prophet! We do not ask about this." He said, "Then the most honorable person is Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil." They said, "We do not ask about this." He said, "Then you want to ask me about the Arabs' descent?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Those who were best in the pre-lslamic period, are the best in Islam, if they comprehend (the religious knowledge).  

البخاري:٣٣٧٤ – حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ سَمِعَ الْمُعْتَمِرَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

قِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ قَالَ أَكْرَمُهُمْ أَتْقَاهُمْ قَالُوا يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَأَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ يُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَخِيَارُكُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُكُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا  

bukhari:3383 – ʿUbayd b. Ismāʿīl > Abū Usāmah > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd from my father

Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He replied, "The most Allah fearing." The people said, "We do not want to ask you about this." He said, "The most honorable person is Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil" The people said, 'We do not want to ask you about this." He said," Then you want to ask me about the origins of the Arabs? People are of various origins. The best in the prelslamic period are the best in Islam, provided they comprehend (the religious knowledge).  

البخاري:٣٣٨٣ – حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ قَالَ أَتْقَاهُمْ لِلَّهِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَأَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ يُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي النَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَامٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِهَذَا  

muslim:2378 – Zuhayr b. Ḥarb And Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná Waʿubayd Allāh b. Saʿīd > Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd from his father > Abū Hurayrah

It was said to Messenger of Allah ﷺ as to who was the most worthy of respect amongst people. He said: The most God-conscious amongst you They said: It is not this that we are asking about, whereupon he said: Then he is Yusuf, the Apostle of Aliah and the son of Allah's Apostle, Ya'qub, who was also the son of Allah's Apostle, the friend of Allah (Ibrahim) They said: This is not what we are asking you. He said: You mean the tribes of Arabia? Those who are good in pre-Islamic days are good in Islam (after embracing Islam) when they get an understanding of it.  

مسلم:٢٣٧٨ – حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ قَالَ أَتْقَاهُمْ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَيُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا  

ahmad:9568 – Yaḥyá > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd from his father > Abū Hurayrah

It was said to Messenger of Allah ﷺ as to who was the most worthy of respect amongst people. He said: The most God-conscious amongst you They said: It is not this that we are asking about, whereupon he said: Then he is Yusuf, the Apostle of Aliah and the son of Allah's Apostle, Ya'qub, who was also the son of Allah's Apostle, the friend of Allah (Ibrahim) They said: This is not what we are asking you. He said: You mean the tribes of Arabia? Those who are good in pre-Islamic days are good in Islam (after embracing Islam) when they get an understanding of it. (Using translation from Muslim 2378)  

أحمد:٩٥٦٨ – حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ؟ قَالَ أَتْقَاهُمْ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَيُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللهِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقُهُوا  

darimi:229 – Yaʿqūb b. Ibrāhīm > Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd al-Qaṭṭān > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd from his father > Abū Hurayrah

It was said to Messenger of Allah ﷺ as to who was the most worthy of respect amongst people. He said: The most God-conscious amongst you They said: It is not this that we are asking about, whereupon he said: Then he is Yusuf, the Apostle of Aliah and the son of Allah's Apostle, Ya'qub, who was also the son of Allah's Apostle, the friend of Allah (Ibrahim) They said: This is not what we are asking you. He said: You mean the tribes of Arabia? Those who are good in pre-Islamic days are good in Islam (after embracing Islam) when they get an understanding of it. (Using translation from Muslim 2378)  

الدارمي:٢٢٩ – حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانُ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَكْرَمُ؟ قَالَ «أَتْقَاهُمْ» قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ «فَيُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ» قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ «فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي؟ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقُهُوا»  

قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: {لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ} [يوسف: 7]

nasai-kubra:11185 – ʿAmr b. ʿAlī And Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná > Yaḥyá > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd from his father > Abū Hurayrah

The people said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Who is the most honorable amongst the people (in Allah's Sight)?" He said, "The most righteous amongst them." They said, "We do not ask you, about this. " He said, "Then Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, The son of Allah's Prophet the son of Allah's Khalil (i.e. Abraham)." They said, "We do not want to ask about this," He said' "Then you want to ask about the descent of the Arabs. Those who were the best in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance will be the best in Islam provided they comprehend the religious knowledge." (Using translation from Bukhārī 3353)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١١١٨٥ – أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى عَنْ يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ؟ قَالَ «أَتْقَاهُمْ» قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ «يُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللهِ» قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ «فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي فَإِنَّ خِيَارَهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا» قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ خَالَفَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ [132] 11186 أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ مِثْلَهُ