1811 — Abū Bakr Abd Allah ibn Makhlad al-Attār narrated to us. He said: Al-Abbās ibn Muhammad al-Dūrī narrated to us. He said: Husayn al-Jufī narrated to us, from Sālih ibn Mūsā, who said: I heard my father ask Asim ibn Abī al-Najūd, “O Abū Bakr, how do you interpret this statement from Ali ⦗2325⦘—may Allah be pleased with him: ‘The best of this nation after its Prophet is Abū Bakr, and the best of them after Abū Bakr is Umar; and I know who ranks third’?” Asim replied, “We can only interpret it to mean that he intended Uthman. He was too virtuous to praise himself—may Allah be pleased with him.”