Compiled by Imam Abu Isa at-Tirmidhi
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلَانَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ عَنْ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ أَبِي وَدَاعَةَ قَالَ جَاءَ الْعَبَّاسُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَكَأَنَّهُ سَمِعَ شَيْئًا فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ مَنْ أَنَا فَقَالُوا أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ قَالَ أَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ فَجَعَلَنِي فِي خَيْرِهِمْ فِرْقَةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُمْ فِرْقَتَيْنِ فَجَعَلَنِي فِي خَيْرِهِمْ فِرْقَةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُمْ قَبَائِلَ فَجَعَلَنِي فِي خَيْرِهِمْ قَبِيلَةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُمْ بُيُوتًا فَجَعَلَنِي فِي خَيْرِهِمْ بَيْتًا وَخَيْرِهِمْ نَسَبًا قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ
“Al-`Abbas came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and it is as if he heard something, so the Prophet (ﷺ) stood upon the Minbar and said: ‘Who am I?’ They said: ‘You are the Messenger of Allah, upon you be peace.’ He said: ‘I am Muhammad bin `Abdullah bin `Abdul-Muttalib, indeed Allah created the creation, and He put me in the best group of them, then He made them into two groups, so He put me in the best group of them, the He made them into tribes, so He put me in the best of tribes, then He made them into houses, so He put me in the best of them in tribe and lineage.’”