Sahih al-Bukhari 4468
صحيح البخاري#4468Sahihحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، اسْتَعْمَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُسَامَةَ ـ فَقَالُوا فِيهِ ـ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكُمْ قُلْتُمْ فِي أُسَامَةَ، وَإِنَّهُ أَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ ".
Narrated Salim's father:The Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Usama as the commander of the troops (to be sent to Syria). The Muslims spoke about Usama (unfavorably ). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, " I have been informed that you spoke about Usama. (Let it be known that ) he is the most beloved of all people to me
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
Every narration in Sahih al-Bukhari is accepted as Sahih (authentic) by the established status of the book.
In-book reference: 64:483