Allah, Glorified and Exalted, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains
Sahih/Authentic with its two versionsعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: {كنتم خير أمة أُخْرِجَتْ للناس} قال: "خَيْرُ النَّاسِ للنَّاسِ يَأتُونَ بهم في السَّلاسِلِ في أعْنَاقِهِمْ حتى يَدْخُلُوا في الإسلام". وعنه أيضا رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «عَجِبَ الله عز وجل مِنْ قوم يَدْخُلُونَ الجنة في السَّلاسِلِ».
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said concerning the verse: {You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 110]: He said: ''The best people to people are those who bring them with chains in their necks until they enter Islam.'' He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah, Glorified and Exalted, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains.”
Explanation
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, wonders at some people who are led to Paradise in chains. They were from the disbelievers whom the Muslims took as captives in Jihad. Then they embraced Islam, and thus their conversion led them to Paradise. The second Hadīth explains the first Hadīth, which is a Mawqūf report. According to the tradition narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), those who took the captives belong to the best nation that was brought out to people, for they were the reason behind the guidance of those captives. He started his speech with the noble verse, for it demonstrates the goodness of the Muslim Ummah.
Source · Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).