405 - ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us, saying: My father narrated to me, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn Ibrāhīm narrated to us, saying: Mansūr ibn ʿAbd al-Rahmān—meaning al-Ghudānī—informed us, from al-Shaʿbī, who said: Abū Juhayfah, whom he used to call Wahb al-Khayr (Wahb the Good), narrated to me, saying:

ʿAlī said to me, “O Abū Juhayfah, shall I not tell you who is the best of this community after its Prophet?”

I replied, “Yes.” At that time, I did not think anyone was better than him.

He said, “The best of this community after its Prophet is Abū Bakr; after Abū Bakr comes ʿUmar; and after them comes another, a third man.” He did not name him.