404 - ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us, saying: Abū Sālih al-Hakam ibn Mūsā narrated to me, saying: Shihāb ibn Khirāsh narrated to us, saying: al-Hajjāj ibn Dīnār narrated to us, from Husayn ibn ʿAbd al-Rahmān, from Abū Juhayfah, who said:

I used to believe that ʿAlī was the best of all people after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said, “O Commander of the Faithful, I had not thought that any Muslim after the Messenger of Allah was better than you.”

He said, “Shall I not tell you, Abū Juhayfah, who is the best of all people after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?”

I replied, “Yes.”

He said, “Abū Bakr.” Then he said, “Shall I not tell you who is the best of all people after the Messenger of Allah and Abū Bakr?”

I replied, “Yes, may I be your ransom.”

He said, “ʿUmar.”