Mishkat al-Masabih 18 The Offices of Commander and Qadi كتاب الإمارة والقضاء 103

وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ قَوْمٌ تَسبِقُ شَهَادَة أحدِهمْ يَمِينه وَيَمِينه شَهَادَته»

Ibn Mas’ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The best of men are my generation, then those who come next to them, then those who come next to them. Afterwards people will come who will give testimony before swearing an oath and swear an oath before giving testimony.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)