Mishkat al-Masabih #3749
Jihad
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «خَيْرُ الصَّحَابَةِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَخَيْرُ السَّرَايَا أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ وَخَيْرُ الْجُيُوشِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَلَنْ يُغْلَبَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا مِنْ قِلَّةٍ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيث غَرِيب
Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, "The best number of companions is four, the best number in expeditions four hundred, and the best number in armies four thousand; and twelve thousand will not be overcome through smallness of numbers."
Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #3749 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of Jihad.