Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ النَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ فَخِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا.
English Translation
Abu Ahmad told us, Sufyan told us, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: People are like ore: the best of them in pre-Islamic times are the best of them in Islam, once they gain understanding.