Hadith #542
Ungraded
Arabic Text
حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ خِيَارُ النَّاسِ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا
English Translation
Rawh narrated to us, Ibn Jurayj narrated to us, Abu al-Zubayr informed me that he heard Jabir ibn Abdullah (رضي الله عنهما) saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: 'The best of people in the pre-Islamic period are the best of them in Islam, when they gain understanding of the religion.'
Quran References
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Book 29, Hadith 542
Sunnah.com ref: Musnad Ahmad 14580
Islam.wiki ID: IWH-50970