Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ عَنْ زِرِّ بْنِ حُبَيْشٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نَظَرَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْعِبَادِ فَوَجَدَ قَلْبَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَيْرَ قُلُوبِ الْعِبَادِ فَاصْطَفَاهُ لِنَفْسِهِ فَابْتَعَثَهُ بِرِسَالَتِهِ ثُمَّ نَظَرَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْعِبَادِ بَعْدَ قَلْبِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَوَجَدَ قُلُوبَ أَصْحَابِهِ خَيْرَ قُلُوبِ الْعِبَادِ فَجَعَلَهُمْ وُزَرَاءَ نَبِيِّهِ يُقَاتِلُونَ عَلَى دِينِهِ فَمَا رَأَى الْمُسْلِمُونَ حَسَنًا فَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ حَسَنٌ وَمَا رَأَوْا سَيِّئًا فَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ سَيِّئٌ.
English Translation
Abu Bakr told us: Asim told us, from Zirr ibn Hubaysh, from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, who said: "Indeed Allah looked into the hearts of His servants and found the heart of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, the best of the hearts of His servants, so He chose him for Himself and sent him with His message. Then He looked into the hearts of His servants after the heart of Muhammad, and found the hearts of his companions the best of the hearts of His servants, so He made them the helpers of His Prophet, fighting for His religion. So whatever the Muslims see as good, it is good in the sight of Allah, and whatever they see as bad, it is bad in the sight of Allah."