Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba 36:197

Waki' narrated to us, he said: Sufyan narrated to us, from Yahya bin Sa'id, from 'Abayah bin Rifa'ah, from his grandfather Rafi' bin Khadij, he said: Gabriel, or an angel, came to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and said: "What do you consider those among you who witnessed Badr?" He said: "Our best." He said: "Likewise, they are among us the best of the angels."