The position stated by Ibn ‘Abbās is that of most jurists. It has also been reported that he granted them three days’ respite.

The second group were “the revilers.” ‘Alī had received word that Ibn al-Sawdā’ was reviling Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, so he sought him out. It is said that he sought him out to kill him, but Ibn al-Sawdā’ fled from him.

The third group were “those who gave him precedence,” who regarded him as superior to Abū Bakr and ‘Umar. It is reported from him through numerous independent chains of transmission that he said:

“The best of this community after its Prophet is Abū Bakr, then ‘Umar.”

Al-Bukhārī narrated this in his Sahīh from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, who asked his father: “Who is the best of people after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?”

He replied: “Abū Bakr.”

He asked: “Then who?”

He replied: “‘Umar.”

The early Shī‘ah did not dispute the superiority of Abū Bakr and ‘Umar; their disagreement concerned only ‘Alī and ‘Uthmān. Thus, Sharīk ibn ‘Abd Allāh said:

“The best of people after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, are Abū Bakr and ‘Umar.”

He was asked: “You say this, although you are one of the Shī‘ah?”

He replied: “All the Shī‘ah used to hold this view. ‘Alī himself said this from his pulpit—are we then to disbelieve what he said?”

For this reason, Sufyān al-Thawrī said:

“Whoever regards ‘Alī as superior to Abū Bakr and ‘Umar has disparaged the Emigrants and the Helpers. I do not believe that any deed of his ascends to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, while he holds this view.”

Abū Dāwūd narrated this in his Sunan. He appears to have been alluding critically to al-Hasan ibn Sālih ibn Hayy, for the Sālihiyyah Zaydīs, the most upright of the Zaydī groups, are named after him.