During the era of the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we would not equate anyone with Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, and then ‘Uthman

كنا في مزن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم لا نعدل بأبي بكر أحدا ثم عمر ثم عثمان ثم نترك أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم لا نفاضل بينهم

During the era of the nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we would not equate anyone with Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, and then ‘Uthman. We would thereafter leave the Sahabah of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; we would not compare them in superiority.

Narrated by al Bukhari, Abu Dawood, and al Tirmidhi.

كنا نفضل على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أبا بكر و عمر و عثمان ثم لا نفضل أحدا على أحد

During the lifetime of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we would pronounce the superiority of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman. Thereafter, we would not prefer anyone over anyone.[1]

Ibn Abi ‘Asim narrated it with a sahih sanad as classified by al Albani.[2]

Ibn ‘Umar stated:

كنا نعد و رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم حي أبو بكر و عمر و عثمان و نسكت

We would count (in superiority) ―while Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was alive―Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman and then keep silent.

Ibn Abi ‘Asim narrated it. Al Albani stated, “His isnad is sahih according to the standards of Muslim.”[3]

Ahmed reports it from Suhayl with the words:

كنا نقول إذا ذهب أبو بكر و عمر و عثمان استوى الناس فيسمع النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم ذلك فلا ينكره

We would declare, “When Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman are gone, then people are equal (in excellence).”

Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would hear this but would not disapprove of it.[4]

The Rawafid intend saying that this silence is implicit disparagement of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Whereas Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is himself responsible for expressing similar sentiments:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبو بحر عبد الواحد البصري ثنا أبو عوانة عن خالد بن علقمة عن عبد خير قال علي رضي الله عنه لما فرغ من أهل البصرة إن خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها صلى الله عليه و سلم أبو بكر و بعد أبي بكر عمر و أحدثنا أحداثا يصنع الله فيها ما شاء

‘Abdullah narrated to us―Abu Bahr ‘Abdul Wahid al Basri narrated to me―Abu ‘Awanah narrated to us from―Khalid ibn ‘Alqamah from―’Abd Khayr:

After finishing with the residents of Basrah, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu announced: “Undoubtedly, the best of this ummah after its Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is Abu Bakr, and after him ‘Umar. We have perpetrated new things, and Allah will deal with these as He pleases.”

This hadith is sahih.

Khalid ibn ‘Abdullah al Wasiti heard from ‘Ata’ after his ikhtilat. However, Hussain ibn ‘Abdul Rahman who is reliable corroborates ‘Ata’.[5]

Hafiz mentioned in al Fath.[6]

Another narration reads:

كنا نتحدث على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إن خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر و عمر و عثمان فيبلغ ذلك النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فلا ينكره علينا

During the time of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we would discuss saying, “The best of this ummah after its prophet is Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman.”

This would reach the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam but he would not reproach us for it.

حدثنا نضر بن علي ثنا عبد الله بن داود عن هشام بن سعد عن عمر ابن أسيد عن ابن عمر قال كنا نقول على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم النبي و أبو بكر و عمر و لقد أعطي علي بن أبي طالب ثلاث خصال لأن يكون لي إحداهن أحب إلي من أن يكون لي الدنيا و ما فيها تزويجه فاطمة و ولدت له و غلق الأبواب و الثالثة يوم خيبر

Nadr ibn ‘Ali narrated to us―’Abdullah ibn Dawood narrated to us from―Hisham ibn Sa’d from―’Umar ibn Usayd from―Ibn ‘Umar who reports:

We would declare during the era of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: the Nabi, Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar. And indeed ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib has been favoured with three characteristic; I possessing one of them is more beloved to me than the entire world and whatever it contains viz. marrying Fatimah to him and she giving birth to his children, closing the doors, and the third on the Day of Khaybar.

The narrators are reliable, the narrators of al Bukhari besides Hisham ibn Sa’d.

Hisham ibn Sa’d

Hafiz says, “Hisham ibn Sa’d al Madani, Abu ‘Abbad or Abu Sa’id. Truthful. Has errors and has been criticised with tashayyu’.”[7]

Next⇒ May Allah not fill his stomach

[1] Al Sunnah vol. 2 pg. 568 Hadith: 1194.

[2] Al Sunnah vol. 2 pg. 568

[3] Al Sunnah vol. 2 pg. 568 Hadith: 1195.

[4] Musnad Ahmed vol. 2 pg. 14.

[5] See the takhrij of the muhaqqiq of the narration in Musnad Ahmed vol. 2 pg. 245, 247 Hadith: 922, 926, also 833 – 837.

[6] Fath al Bari vol. 7 pg. 14.

[7] Taqrib al Tahdhib vol. 1 pg. 572.

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