Musnad Ahmad 27:1397

'Affan narrated to us, Wuhayb narrated to us, Musa ibn 'Uqbah narrated to us, Salim narrated to me, from his father, that he used to hear him narrating from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he appointed Usamah ibn Zayd. It reached him that the people criticized Usamah and found fault with his leadership. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood among the people and said—as Salim narrated to me—: "Behold, you criticize Usamah and find fault with his leadership, and you did that to his father before. And he was indeed worthy of leadership, and he was among the most beloved of all people to me. And this son of his, after him, is among the most beloved of people to me, so treat him well, for he is among the best of you." Salim said: I never heard 'Abdullah narrate this hadith but that he would say: "Except for Fatimah."