Umar passed by Hassan while he was reciting poetry in the mosque and gave him a sharp glance.Hassan said, "I used to recite poetry here in the presence of one who was better than you."Then he turned to Abu Hurairah and said, "I ask you by Allah, did you hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, 'Answer on my behalf. O Allah, support him with the Holy Spirit'?"Abu Hurairah replied, "By Allah, yes."
أن عمر مر بحسان وهو ينشد الشعر في المسجد، فلحظ إليه فقال: قد كنت أنشد، وفيه من هو خير منك، ثم التفت إلى أبي هريرة فقال: أنشدك الله أسمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: أجب عني، اللهم أيده بروح القدس قال: اللهم نعم.
Bukhari related it in Beginning of Creation (3212), and Muslim in Virtues (2485), both from the hadith of Sufyan bin Uyayna, from Zuhri, from Saeed, from Abu Hurairah, and mentioned it. This is how Muslim gave its chain, while Bukhari did not mention Abu Hurairah, making the story that of Saeed bin Musayab, as a mursal narration, since he did not live during the time of the event. However, Hassan's turning to Abu Hurairah to call him as a witness suggests that the story belongs to him, so perhaps the omission of Abu Hurairah from the chain was an abridgment made by Bukhari's teacher, Ali bin Abdullah Madini.Then he related it (453), and Muslim as well, from the hadith of Shuayb, from Zuhri, who said, Abu Salama bin Abdul-Rahman bin Awf informed me that he heard Hassan bin Thabit Ansari calling on Abu Hurairah as a witness, saying, "I ask you by Allah, did you hear the Prophet ﷺ say, 'O Hassan, answer on behalf of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Allah, support him with the Holy Spirit'?" Abu Hurairah said, "Yes."