Musnad Ahmad
Musnad Ahmad 1060
Book 5: Musnad 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib
It was narrated that ‘Abd Khair said: I heard ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) saying on the minbar: The best of this ummah after its Prophet are Abu Bakr and ʻUmar, and if l wanted to name the third one, I would name him. A man said to Abu lshaq: They are saying that you say they were the best in evil. He said: Are you a Haroori (i.e.Khariji)?`
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْد اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى، رَحْمَوَيْهِ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ مُجَاشِعٍ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ خَيْرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ يَقُولُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أُسَمِّيَ الثَّالِثَ لَسَمَّيْتُهُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لِأَبِي إِسْحَاقَ إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّكَ تَقُولُ أَفْضَلُ فِي الشَّرِّ فَقَالَ أَحَرُورِيٌّ.
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