Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I have been commissioned from among the best of the generations of Adam's descendants, generation after generation, till I came into being in the generation in which I have come." Bukhari transmitted it.

Wathila b. al-Asqa' told that he heard God's messenger say, "God chose Kinana from the descendants of Ishmael, He chose Quraish from Kinana, from Quraish He chose the B. Hashim, and He chose me from the B. Hashim.'' Muslim transmitted it. In a version by Tirmidhi he said, "God chose Ishmael from among the children of Abraham, and He chose the B. Kinana from among the descendants of Ishmael.' Tirmidhi

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be preeminent among the descendants of Adam on the day of resurrection, the first from whom the grave will be cleft open, the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted." Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "I am the prophet who will have the greatest number of followers on the day of resurrection, and I shall be the first to knock at the gate of paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall come to the gate of paradise on the day of resurrection and ask that it be opened. The keeper will ask who I am, and when I tell him that I am Muhammad he will reply that he has been given orders regarding me not to open to anyone before me." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be the first intercessor in paradise, no prophet having been believed to the extent I have. Among the prophets there is one who was believed by only one man out of his people." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I have been given superiority over the prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror ; spoils have been made lawful to me; the earth has been made for me a place of worship and ceremonially pure; I have been sent to all mankind; and the line of prophets is closed with me." Muslim transmitted it.

Thauban reported God's messenger as saying, "God gathered together the earth for me and I saw its eastern and western parts. My people will attain to rule over it so far as it was gathered together for me. I have also been given the two treasures, viz. gold and silver[*]. I asked my Lord not to destroy my people by a general famine, or to allow an enemy from another people to rule over them and uproot them, and my Lord replied, `When I decree something, Muhammad, it cannot be averted, but I have granted you for your people that I shall not destroy them by a general famine, or allow an enemy from another people to rule over them and uproot them, even though those in all quarters of the earth were to unite against them in order that they might destroy one another and take one another captive'." *Literally, "the red and the white." Muslim transmitted it.

Sa'd said: Passing the mosque of the B. Mu'awiya, God's messenger entered and prayed two rak`as in it and we prayed along with him. He made supplication to his Lord for a long time and then went away. He then said, "I asked my Lord for three things two of which He granted me, but one of which He refused me. I asked my Lord not to destroy my people by famine and He granted me that; I asked Him not to destroy my people by drowning and He granted me that; I asked Him not to let war arise among them but He refused me that." Muslim transmitted it.

Khabbab b. al-Aratt said: God's messenger led us in prayer and prolonged it, and when the people said, "Messenger of God, you have prayed a prayer such as you have not been accustomed to pray," he replied, "Yes, it was a prayer of hope and fear during which I asked God for three things, two of which He granted me but one of which He refused me. I asked Him not to destroy my people by famine and He granted me that, I asked Him not to let an enemy from another people rule over them and He granted me that, and I asked Him not to let them experience one another's violence but He refused me that." Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Abu Malik al-Ash'ari reported God's messenger as saying, "God who is great and glorious has protected you from three things: that your prophet should not invoke a curse on you and you should all perish, that those who follow what is false should not prevail over those who follow the truth, and that you should not all join in an error." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

'Auf b. Malik reported God's messenger as saying, "God will not cause two swords to smite this people together, one from among itself and one from its enemy." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al 'Abbas told that he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) who seemed to have heard something and so mounted the pulpit and asked, "Who am I?" On being told that he was God's messenger he said, "I am Muhammad son of `Abdallah son of Abd al-Muttalib. God created all creatures and placed me among the best of them, then put them in two sections[*] and placed me in the better section, then made them into tribes and placed me in the best tribe, then made them into families and placed me in the best family, and I am inherently the best of them and come of the best family." *Mirqat; 5:366, explains this as meaning Arabs and foreigners, with which may be compared the contrast between Jews and Gentiles, or Greeks and barbarians. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when God's messenger was asked when the office of prophet had been established for him, he replied, "When Adam had not yet had his spirit joined to his body." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be preeminent among the descendants of Adam on the day of resurrection, and this is no boast; and in my hand will be the banner of praise, and this is no boast. There will be no prophet, Adam or any other, who will not be under my banner. I shall be the first from whom the earth will be cleft open, and this is no boast." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn 'Abbas told that when some of the companions of God's messenger were sitting, he came out, and when he came near them, he heard them discussing. One of them said God had taken Abraham as a friend[1], another said He spoke direct to Moses[2], another said Jesus is God's word and spirit[3], and another said God chose Adam[4]. God's messenger then came out to them and said, "I have heard what you said, and you wonder that Abraham was God's friend, as indeed he was; that Moses was God's, confidant, as indeed he was; that Jesus was His spirit and word, as indeed he was; and that Adam was chosen by God, as indeed he was. I am the one whom God loves, and this is no boast. On the day of resurrection, I shall be the bearer of the banner of praise under which will be-Adam and the others, and this is no boast. I shall be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession is accepted on the day of resurrection, and this, is no boast. I shall be the first to rattle the knocker of paradise, and God will open for me and bring me into it accompanied by the poor ones among the believers, and this is no boast. I shall be the most honourable in God's estimation among those of earliest and latest times, and this is no boast." 1. Cf. Quran; 4:125. 3. Cf. Quran; 4:171. 2. Cf. Quran; 4:164. 4. Cf. Quran; 3:33 Tirmidhi and Dirimi transmitted it.

`Amr b. Qais reported God's messenger as saying, "We are the last, but we shall have precedence on the day of resurrection. I am saying something which is not a boast: Abraham was God's friend, Moses was God's chosen one, and I am God's belove done who will have the banner of praise on the day of resurrection. God has given me promises regarding my people and has granted them protection from three things: He will not bring on them a universal famine, an enemy will not extirpate them, and He will not cause them all to unite in an error." Darimi transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be the first to come forth when mankind are resurrected; I shall be their leader when they present themselves before God; I shall be their spokesman when they are speechless; I shall be the one who is. asked to intercede for them when they are restrained; I shall be throne who gives them good tidings when they despair; honour and the keys will on that day be in my hand; the banner of praise will on that day be in my hand; and I shall be the most honourable of the descendants of Adam in my Lord's estimation. A thousand servants like concealed eggs or scattered pearls will go round me." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, "I shall be clothed with one of the robes of paradise and shall then stand at the right of the Throne, a place where no other creature than I shall stand." Tirmidhi transmitted it. The version on his authority in Jami al-usul has "I shall be the first from whom the earth will be cleft open and I shall be clothed...[*]" *The tradition begins "and I shall be clothed." but I have omitted the conjunction as it would seem awkward in English. The version beginning with the words "I shall be the first..." makes the conjunction quite natural.

He reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, "Ask God to grant me the wasila." God's messenger was asked what the wasila meant and replied, "The highest grade in paradise which only one man will attain, and I hope I may be he." Tirmidhi transmitted it.