Abu Huraira reported that two persons, one from amongst the Jews and the other from amongst the Muslims, fell into dispute and began to abuse one another. The Muslim said:By Him Who chose Muhammad (ﷺ) in the worlds. And the Jew said: By Him Who chose Moses in the worlds. Thereupon the Muslim lifted his hand and slapped at the face of the Jew. The Jew went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and told him about his affair and the affair of the Muslim. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Don't make me superior to Moses for mankind will swoon and I would be the first to recover from it and Moses would be at that time seizing the side of the Throne and I do not know (whether) he would swoon and would recover before me or Allah would make an exception for him.
حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ النَّضْرِ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ اسْتَبَّ رَجُلاَنِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَرَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُ وَالَّذِي اصْطَفَى مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ . وَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ وَالَّذِي اصْطَفَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ . قَالَ فَرَفَعَ الْمُسْلِمُ يَدَهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَلَطَمَ وَجْهَ الْيَهُودِيِّ فَذَهَبَ الْيَهُودِيُّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَأَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُخَيِّرُونِي عَلَى مُوسَى فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصْعَقُونَ فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ فَإِذَا مُوسَى بَاطِشٌ بِجَانِبِ الْعَرْشِ فَلاَ أَدْرِي أَكَانَ فِيمَنْ صَعِقَ فَأَفَاقَ قَبْلِي أَمْ كَانَ مِمَّنِ اسْتَثْنَى اللَّهُ " .
Muslim
The Book of Virtues • Hadith 211