Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3681
جامع الترمذي#3681Sahihحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ الْعَقَدِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَارِجَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلاَمَ بِأَحَبِّ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ إِلَيْكَ بِأَبِي جَهْلٍ أَوْ بِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ " . قَالَ وَكَانَ أَحَبَّهُمَا إِلَيْهِ عُمَرُ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ .
Narrated Ibn 'Umar:that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "O Allah! Honor Islam through the most dear of these two men to you: Through Abu Jahl or through 'Umar bin Al-Khattab." He said: "And the most dear of them to Him was 'Umar
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:
In-book reference: 49:77