"We came to Hudhaifah and said: 'Inform us of the closest to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in guidance and conduct, so that we may take from him and hear from him.' He said: 'The closest of the people in guidance, conduct, and character used to be 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, until he would hide from us in his house. And the guarded ones (guarded by Allah from straying in word and deed) from the Companions of Muhammad (ﷺ) know that Ibn Umm 'Abd (a nickname for 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud) is from among the most intimately close to Allah of them.'
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ أَتَيْنَا عَلَى حُذَيْفَةَ فَقُلْنَا حَدِّثْنَا مَنْ، أَقْرَبُ النَّاسِ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هَدْيًا وَدَلاًّ فَنَأْخُذَ عَنْهُ وَنَسْمَعَ مِنْهُ قَالَ كَانَ أَقْرَبَ النَّاسِ هَدْيًا وَدَلاًّ وَسَمْتًا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ حَتَّى يَتَوَارَى مِنَّا فِي بَيْتِهِ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَ الْمَحْفُوظُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ هُوَ مِنْ أَقْرَبِهِمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Tirmizi
Chapters on Virtues • Hadith 4045