Sahih al-Bukhari 4469
Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 64: Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi) · The dispatch of Usama bin Zaid رضي الله عنهما by the Prophet (saws) during his fatal illness
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ بَعْثًا وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ، فَطَعَنَ النَّاسُ فِي إِمَارَتِهِ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " إِنْ تَطْعُنُوا فِي إِمَارَتِهِ فَقَدْ كُنْتُمْ تَطْعُنُونَ فِي إِمَارَةِ أَبِيهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ، وَايْمُ اللَّهِ إِنْ كَانَ لَخَلِيقًا لِلإِمَارَةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لَمِنْ أَحَبِّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ، وَإِنَّ هَذَا لَمِنْ أَحَبِّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ بَعْدَهُ " .
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent troops appointed Usama bin Zaid as their commander. The people criticized his leadership. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up and said, "If you (people) are criticizing his (i.e. Usama's) leadership you used to criticize the leadership of his father before. By Allah, he (i.e. Zaid) deserved the leadership indeed, and he used to be one of the most beloved persons to me, and now this (i.e. his son, Usama) is one of the most beloved persons to me after him."