Arabic (Original)
وَبِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ النَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ فَخِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقُهُوا.
English Translation
And with the same chain of narration, he (peace be upon him) said: "People are like mines. The best of them in the pre-Islamic period are the best of them in Islam, if they gain understanding of the religion."