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).

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ خَيْرُ الصَّحَابَةِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلاَفٍ وَلَنْ يُغْلَبَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ

“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)

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

“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

" عَنْ أبِى سَلَمَةَ العَامِلىِّ، عَنِ الزُّهْرى، عَنْ أنَسٍ أنَّ رَسُولَ الله ﷺ قَالَ لأكْثَمَ بْنِ الجَوْنِ الخُزَاعِى: اغْزُ مَعَ غَيْرِ قَوْمِكَ يحْسن خُلُقُكَ، وَتُكَرَّم عَلى رُفَقَائِكَ. يَا أكْثمُ: خَيْرُ الرُّفقَاءِ أرْبَعَة، وَخَيْرُ الطَّبايعِ (*) أربَعُونَ، وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أرْبعُ مِائَةٍ، وَخَيْرُ الجُيُوشِ أرْبَعَةُ آلافٍ، وَلَنْ يُغْلَب اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ ".