Anas b. Malik reported that a woman from the Ansar came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood aside with her and said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, you are dearest to me amongst the people. He repeated it thrice. This hadith has been reported on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ غُنْدَرٍ، قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ، بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ - قَالَ - فَخَلاَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّكُمْ لأَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ " . ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ .