Read all Ahadith in the virtues and merits of the companions of the prophet by sahih al bukhari

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: Allah's Apostle said, A time will come upon the people, when a group of people will wage a holy war and it will be said, 'Is there amongst you anyone who has accompanied Allah's Apostle?' They will say, 'Yes.' And so victory will be bestowed on them. Then a time will come upon the people when a group of people will wage a holy war, and it will be said, Is there amongst you anynone who has accompanied the companions of Allah's Apostle?' They will say, 'Yes.' And so victory will be bestowed on them. Then a time will come upon the people when a group of people will wage a holy war, and it will be said, Is there amongst you anyone who has been in the company of the companions of the companions of Allah's Apostle ?' They will say, 'Yes.' And victory will be bestowed on them.

Narrated `Imran bin Husain: Allah's Apostle said, 'The best of my followers are those living in my generation (i.e. my contemporaries). and then those who will follow the latter `Imran added, I do not remember whether he mentioned two or three generations after his generation, then the Prophet added, 'There will come after you, people who will bear witness without being asked to do so, and will be treacherous and untrustworthy, and they will vow and never fulfill their vows, and fatness will appear among them.

Narrated `Abdullah: The Prophet said, The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter. Then there will come some people who will bear witness before taking oaths, and take oaths before bearing witness. (Ibrahim, a sub-narrator said, They used to beat us for witnesses and covenants when we were still children. )

Narrated Al-Bara: Abu Bakr bought a (camel) saddle from `Azib for thirteen Dirhams. Abu Bakr said to `Azib, Tell Al- Bara' to carry the saddle for me. `Azib said, No, unless you relate to me what happened to you and Allah 's Apostle when you left Mecca while the pagans were in search of you. Abu Bakr said, We left Mecca and we travel led continuously for that night and the following day till it was midday. I looked (around) searching for shade to take as shelter, and suddenly I came across a rock, and found a little shade there. So I cleaned the place and spread a bed for the Prophet in the shade and said to him, 'Lie down, O Allah's Apostle.' So the Prophet lay down and I went out, looking around to see if there was any person pursuing us. Suddenly I saw a shepherd driving his sheep towards the rock, seeking what we had already sought from it. I asked him, 'To whom do you belong, O boy?' He said, 'I belong to a man from Quraish.' He named the man and I recognized him. I asked him, 'Is there any milk with your sheep?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Will you then milk (some) for us?' He said, 'Yes.' Then I asked him to tie the legs of one of the sheep and clean its udder, and then ordered him to clean his hands from dust. Then the shepherd cleaned his hands by striking his hands against one another. After doing so, he milked a small amount of milk. I used to keep for Allah's Apostle a leather water-container, the mouth of which was covered with a piece of cloth. I poured water on the milk container till its lower part was cold. Then I took the milk to the Prophet whom I found awake. I said to him, 'Drink, O Allah's Apostle.' So he drank till I became pleased. Then I said, 'It is time for us to move, O Allahs Apostle!' He said, 'Yes.' So we set out while the people (i.e. Quraish pagans) were searching for us, but none found us except Suraiqa bin Malik bin Jushum who was riding his horse. I said, 'These are our pursuers who have found us. O Allah's Apostle!' He said, 'Do not grieve, for Allah is with us.

Narrated Abu Bakr: I said to the Prophet while I was in the Cave. If any of them should look under his feet, he would see us. He said, O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two (persons) the third of whom is Allah?

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: Allah's Apostle addressed the people saying, Allah has given option to a slave to choose this world or what is with Him. The slave has chosen what is with Allah. Abu Bakr wept, and we were astonished at his weeping caused by what the Prophet mentioned as to a Slave ( of Allah) who had been offered a choice, (we learned later on) that Allah's Apostle himself was the person who was given the choice, and that Abu Bakr knew best of all of us. Allah's Apostle added, The person who has favored me most of all both with his company and wealth, is Abu Bakr. If I were to take a Khalil other than my Lord, I would have taken Abu Bakr as such, but (what relates us) is the Islamic brotherhood and friendliness. All the gates of the Mosque should be closed except the gate of Abu Bakr.

Narrated Ibn `Umar: We used to compare the people as to who was better during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle . We used to regard Abu Bakr as the best, then `Umar, and then `Uthman .

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: The Prophet said, If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is my brother and my companion (in Islam).

Narrated Aiyub: The Prophet said, If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken him (i.e. Abu Bakr) as a Khalil, but the Islamic brotherhood is better.

Narrated `Abdullah bin Abi Mulaika: The people of Kufa sent a letter to Ibn Az-Zubair, asking about (the inheritance of) (paternal) grandfather. He replied that the right of the inheritance of (paternal) grandfather is the same as that of father if the father is dead) and added, Allah's Apostle said, ' If I were to take a Khalil from this nation, I would have taken him (i.e. Abu Bakr).