Sahih Muslim 2536
Sahih Muslim · Book 44: The Book of the Merits of the Companions · The Virtues Of the Sahabah, Then Those Who Come After Them, Then Those Who Come After Them
'A'isha reported that a person asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as to who amongst the people were the best. He said:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ، وَشُجَاعُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجُعْفِيُّ - عَنْ زَائِدَةَ ، عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَهِيِّ ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ، قَالَتْ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ " الْقَرْنُ الَّذِي أَنَا فِيهِ ثُمَّ الثَّانِي ثُمَّ الثَّالِثُ " .
Of the generation to which I belong, then of the second generation (generation adjacent to my generation), then of the third generation (generation adjacent to the second generation).