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

ذِكْرُ الْبَيَانِ بِأَنَّ مَنِ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ مِمَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِ كَانَ هُوَ الْكَرِيمُ دُونَ النَّسِيبِ الَّذِي يُقَارِفُ مَا حُظِرَ عَلَيْهِ

ibnhibban:648 – al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad b. Abū Maʿshar > Muḥammad b. Sinān > Yaḥyá al-Qaṭṭān > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿUmar > Saʿīd al-Maqburī > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, who is the most honorable among the people?" He said, "The most righteous of them." They said, "We are not asking about this." He said, "Then why do you ask me about the origins of the Arabs? The best of you are the best in Islam when they have understanding."  

ابن حبّان:٦٤٨ – أَخْبَرَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي مَعْشَرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى الْقَطَّانُ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ؟ قَالَ «أَتْقَاهُمْ» قَالُوا لَسْنَا عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ «فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونَنِي؟ خِيَارُكُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا»  

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Aḥmad, Dārimī
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:3490 – Muḥammad b. Bashhār > Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd from his father > Abū Hurayrah

Once Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He said, "The most righteous (i.e. Allah-fearing) amongst you." They said, "We do not ask you about this." He said, "Then Joseph, the prophet of Allah."  

البخاري:٣٤٩٠ – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي 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  

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»