Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ أَكْرَمُ النَّاسِ قَالَ أَتْقَاهُمْ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَيُوسُفُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ابْنُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ابْنِ خَلِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَنْ هَذَا نَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَعَنْ مَعَادِنِ الْعَرَبِ تَسْأَلُونِي خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقُهُوا.
English Translation
Yahya narrated to us, from Ubaidullah, who said: Sa'id narrated to me, from his father, from Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked: "Who is the most noble of people?" He said: "The most God-fearing among them." They said: "That is not what we are asking about." He said: "Then Yusuf (Joseph), the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, son of the Friend of Allah." They said: "That is not what we are asking about." He said: "Then you are asking about the lineages of the Arabs. The best of them in the pre-Islamic period are the best of them in Islam, if they gain understanding of the religion."