وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «النَّاسُ مَعَادِنُ كَمَعَادِنِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا»
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:, “Men are of different origins just as gold and silver are; the best among them in the pre-Islamic period are the best among them in Islam when they are versed in the religion.”
Mishkat al-Masabih 193, Book 3, Knowledge, Hadith 4. 1 min read