259. They also affirm what has reached us through recurrent, mass-transmitted reports from the Commander of the Believers ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib—may Allah be pleased with him—and from others: that the best of this community after its Prophet are Abū Bakr, then ʿUmar; they rank ʿUthmān third and ʿAlī fourth, as the transmitted narrations clearly show.

[On giving ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) precedence over the other four caliphs]

260. The Companions unanimously gave ʿUthmān precedence when they pledged allegiance to him, yet some later Sunnis—while unanimously placing Abū Bakr and ʿUmar first—differed over whether ʿUthmān or ʿAlī was superior:
     – A group preferred ʿUthmān and then remained silent, or placed ʿAlī fourth;
     – a group preferred ʿAlī;
     – and a group withheld judgment.
     Nevertheless, the matter has ultimately settled among the Sunnis on giving precedence to ʿUthmān, followed by ʿAlī.