What Has Been Related About The Saraya (Military Unit)
باب مَا جَاءَ فِي السَّرَايَا
Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Book of Military Expeditions(view book)
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1555
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
That the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The best companions are four, the best Saraya (military unit) is four hundred, the best army is four thousand, and twelve thousand will not be beaten due to being too few."
This Hadith is Hasan Gharib, it was not narrated with a chain by anyone important besides Jarir bin Hazim, and this Hadith was only reported from Az-Zuhri, from the Prophet ﷺ in Mursal form. Hibban bin 'Ali Al-'Anazi reported it from 'Uqail, from Az-Zuhri, from 'Ubaidullah, from 'Ibn Abbas, from the Prophet ﷺ, and Al-Laith bin Sa'd reported it from Sa'd, from 'Uqail, from Az-Zuhri, from the Prophet ﷺ in the Mursal form.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الأَزْدِيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ، وَأَبُو عَمَّارٍ وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " خَيْرُ الصَّحَابَةِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلاَفٍ وَلاَ يُغْلَبُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ " . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ يُسْنِدُهُ كَبِيرُ أَحَدٍ غَيْرُ جَرِيرِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ وَإِنَّمَا رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مُرْسَلاً . وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ حِبَّانُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْعَنَزِيُّ عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ . وَرَوَاهُ اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مُرْسَلاً .