حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَشُجَاعُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجُعْفِيُّ - عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَهِيِّ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ ‏"‏ الْقَرْنُ الَّذِي أَنَا فِيهِ ثُمَّ الثَّانِي ثُمَّ الثَّالِثُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

'A'isha reported that a person asked Allah's Apostle (PBUH) as to who amongst the people were the best. He said: Of the generation to which I belong, then of the second generation (generation adjacent to my generation), then of the third generation (generation adjacent to the second generation). Translation Not Available

Book Ref: Sahih Muslim Book 44 Hadith 6159
Web Ref:  Sahih Muslim Book 31 Hadith 2536