Riyad as-Salihin, 192

Abu Sa'id Al-Hasan Basri reported:

'Aidh bin 'Amr (the Companion) (May Allah be pleased with him) visited 'Ubaidullah bin Ziyad (the ruler) and said to him: "Son, I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, 'The worst shepherds (rulers) are those who deal harshly in respect of supervision. Beware, Don't be one of them!"' Ibn Ziyad said to him, "Sit down, you are but husk from among the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ)." 'Aidh bin 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) retorted: "Was there any husk among them? Surely, husk came after them and among others than them". [Muslim].

التاسع‏:‏ عن أبي سعيد الحسن البصري أن عائذ بن عمرو رضي الله عنه دخل على عبيد الله بن زياد فقال‏:‏ أي بني، إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول‏:‏ ‏"‏إن شر الرعاء الحطمة” فإياك أن تكون منهم‏.‏ فقال له ‏:‏ اجلس فإنما أنت من نخالة أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فقال‏:‏ وهل كانت لهم نخالة، إنما كانت النخالة بعدهم وفي غيرهم ‏!‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Introduction, Hadith 192

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadith: 1) The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and they never feared the consequences of saying the truth. 2) All the Companions are noble and honorable, and they are the best generation of the Muslim Ummah. 3) The best of people is the one who is gentle and lenient, especially if he is in a position of authority. Words in the Hadith: Husk: outer covering of wheat grains. The intended meaning is to refer to something insignificant that is not given any consideration.