Abu Sa'id Khudri reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying:A time would come for the people when groups of people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and they would be victorious. Then the people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw those (who have had the privilege of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and victory would be granted to them. Then a group of persons would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw one of those who saw those who (had the privilege) of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and the Victory would be granted to them.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ الضَّبِّيُّ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِزُهَيْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعَ عَمْرٌو، جَابِرًا يُخْبِرُ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُونَ . نَعَمْ فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَأَى مَنْ صَحِبَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ . فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ هَلْ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَأَى مَنْ صَحِبَ مَنْ صَحِبَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ . فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ " .
Muslim
The Book of the Merits of the Companions • Hadith 296