411 - ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us, saying: Abū Bakr Khallād ibn Aslam narrated to us, saying: Al-Nadr—meaning Ibn Shumayl—informed us, saying: Shuʿbah informed us, from al-Hakam, from Abū Juhayfah, that ʿAlī said:

“Shall I tell you who is the best of people after their Prophet?”
They replied, “Yes.”
He said, “Abū Bakr.”

Then he said, “Shall I tell you who is the best of people after Abū Bakr?”
They replied, “Yes.”
He said, “ʿUmar.”

Then he said, “Shall I tell you who is the best of people?”
They replied, “Yes.”
The narrator said: “He then fell silent.”