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عن أبي مُوسَى، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيهَا صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالُوا : بَلَى قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ : أَلا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ؟ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ : عُمَرُ، وَلَوْ شِئْتُ لَأَخْبَرْتُكُمْ بِالثَّالِثِ
Abu Musa al-Ashʿari narrated that Ali said: “Shall I not inform you of the best person in this Ummah after its Prophet (PBUH)?” They replied, “Yes, do tell us.” He said: “Abu Bakr.” Then he asked, “Shall I not inform you of the best in this Ummah after Abu Bakr?” They said, “Yes, do tell us.” He said: “Umar. And if I wished, I would inform you of the third as well.” (Al-Muʿjam al-Kabir, Ṭabarani, No. 175)
Explanation and Commentary
The excellence of Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) as the most virtuous individuals in the Ummah was already a well-known and established matter among the companions during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH). This is affirmed by numerous narrations. For example, Abdullah b. Umar reported:
كنا نخير بين الناس في زمن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فنخير أبا بكر ، ثم عمر بن الخطاب، ثم عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنهم
“In the time of the Prophet (PBUH), we used to differentiate ranks among people. We would consider Abu Bakr the most virtuous, then Umar b. al-Khaṭṭab, then Uthman b. ʿAffan.” (Sahih Bukhari, No. 3488)
Ṭabaranii’s narration adds:
ويسمع ذلك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا ينكره
The Prophet (PBUH) would hear this and would not object to it. (Al-Muʿjam al-Kabir, No. 13132)
Similarly, Abu Hurayrah reported:
كنا نعد وأصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم متوافرون: خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر وعم
While the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) were still numerous, we used to regard Abu Bakr and Umar as the best individuals in this Ummah after the Prophet. (Fadaʾil al-Sahabah, Ahmad b. Hanbal, No. 47)
There are multiple recorded occasions where Ali expressed the same view. The narration by Abu Musa al-Ashʿari is one such occasion.
Transmission and Variant Routes
This statement of Ali (RA) has been narrated by a large number of companions and successors. The transmission details from among the companions are as follows:
1. Narration via Abu Musa al-Ashʿari appears to be transmitted solely through Tabarani’s al-Muʿjam al-Kabir, though Abu Nuʿaym has cited it in al-Imamah wa al-Radd ʿala al-Rafizah (No. 59) as a marfu hadith (attributed to the Prophet (PBUH)). However, it is likely a mistake by the narrator.
2. According to the narration via Abu Saʿid al-Khudri, at one occasion, in a discussion on whether to walk in front of or behind a funeral procession, the narrator referred to the actions of Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA). Ali (RA) responded:
إن خير هذه الأمة أبو بكر بن أبي قحافة وعمر بن الخطاب، ثم الله أعلم بالخير أين هو
Indeed, the best individuals in this Ummah are Abu Bakr b. Abu Quhafah and Umar b. al-Khattab. After them, Allah knows best who is the most virtuous. (Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq, No. 6065)
3. The narration via Abu Juhayfah Wahb b. Abdullah al-Sawaʾi appears in several sources, including Musnad Ahmad (Nos. 820–822), Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (No. 31311), al-Muʿjam al-Awsat of Tabarani (No. 7523), Fazaʾil al-Sahabah (Nos. 36, 37), and Tarikh Dimashq of Ibn ʿAsakir (44:196).
In one version, Abu Juhayfah describes the background:
لما كان يوم الجمل تشاجر الناس في أبي بكر وعمر ، فقال علي : الصلاة جامعة فقال : خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر والثاني عمر
On the day of the Battle of Jamal, people began debating about Abu Bakr and Umar. Ali called for the congregational prayer, and after it, he said: ‘The best of this Ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, and the second is Umar.’ (Tarikh Dimashq, 44:202)
In Musnad Ahmad, one version reads:
خطبنا علي فقال : من خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها ؟ فقلت : أنت يا أمير المؤمنين ، قال : لا ، خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر ثم عمر، وما نُبْعِدُ أن السكينة تنطق على لسان عمر
Ali delivered a sermon and asked, ‘Who is the best of this Ummah after its Prophet?’ I said, ‘You, O Commander of the Faithful.’ He said, ‘No, the best of this Ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then Umar. And we did not find it strange that tranquility (divinely inspired guidance) would speak through Umar’s tongue.’ (Musnad Ahmad, No. 821)
In another variant, Abu Juhayfah adds at the end:
فرجعت الموالي كلهم يقولون عنى عثمان ورجعت العرب وهم يقولون عنى نفسه
Upon hearing this, the non-Arabs returned saying that Ali was referring to Uthman, while the Arabs returned saying he was referring to himself. (Tarikh Dimashq, 44:203)
And yet in another version:
ثم نزل علی من المنبر وھو یقول: عثمان عثمان
Then Ali descended from the pulpit saying: ‘Uthman, Uthman.’(Hilyat al-Awliya, Abu Nuʿaym, No. 12926; Tarikh Dimashq, 39:156; Tarikh Baghdad, Khatib, 7:72; Muʿjam Asami Shuyukh Abi Bakr al- Ismaili, No. 86; Sittat Majalis, Abu Yala al-Farra, No. 41)
In another narration, Abu Juhayfah transmitted this report in the form of a dialogue he had with Ali (RA):
عن أبي جحيفة، قال : كنت أرى أن عليا أفضل الناس بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم – فذكر الحديث – قلت : لا والله يا أمير المؤمنين، إني لم أكن أرى أن أحدا من المسلمين بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أفضل منك . قال : أفلا أحدثك بأفضل الناس كان بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟ قال : قلت : بلى، فقال : أبو بكر ، فقال : أفلا أخبرك بخير الناس كان بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبي بكر ؟ قلت : بلى . قال : عمر
Abu Juhayfah said: I used to believe that after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), Ali was the most virtuous of all people. Then he described a conversation he had with Ali. He said: I said, “O Commander of the Faithful, by Allah, I did not believe that any Muslim after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) could be superior to you.” Ali said: “Shall I not inform you of the most virtuous individual after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)?” I said, “Yes, certainly.” He said: “Abu Bakr.” Then he said: “Shall I not inform you of the most virtuous person after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and Abu Bakr?” I said, “Yes.” He said: “Umar.” (Musnad Ahmad, No. 1031)
4. In addition to the above companions, this report has also been transmitted by Ibn Asakir through the chains of Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbas, and Anas b. Malik (see Tarikh Dimashq 30:351; 44:213). Moreover, in some sources, it has been narrated by Abu al-Tufayl Amir b. Wathilah (Al-Muʿjam al-Awsat, Tabarani, No. 5705) and Amr b. Hurayth (Al-Muʿjam al-Kabir, Ṭabarani, No. 176; Tarikh Dimashq 44:213).
Among the Successors (tabiUn), the most prominent transmitter of this report is Ali’s (RA) son, Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyyah. He said:
، قلت لأبي : أي الناس خير بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟ قال : أبو بكر ، قلت : ثم من؟ قال : ثم عمر ، وخشيت أن يقول : عثمان قلت : ثم أنت؟ قال : ما أنا إلا رجل من المسلمين
I asked my father, ‘Who is the best person after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)?’ He replied, ‘Abu Bakr.’ I asked, ‘Then who?’ He said, ‘Umar.’ I feared that he would then say ‘Uthman,’ so I asked, ‘Then is it you?’ He replied, ‘I am but a man from among the Muslims.’” (Sahih Bukhari, No. 3501)
This dialogue of Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyyah is also recorded in the following sources: Sunan Abi Dawud (No. 4076), Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (No. 31306), al-Muʿjam al-Awsat (Tabaranii, No. 7765), Hilyat al-Awliyaʾ (Abu Nuʿaym, Nos. 6616, 6617), Fazaʾil al-Sahabah (Ibn Hanbal, No. 136), Sharh Usul Iʿtiqad Ahl al-Sunnah (Lalakaʾi, No. 2518), Al-Sunnah (Ibn Abi Asim, No. 1207), Tarikh Baghdad (Khatib, 13:462), and Tarikh Dimashq (Ibn Asakir, 30:347).
Another prominent tabiʿi narrator of this report is Abd Khayr, who was one of the close companions of Ali (RA). This report has been transmitted from him through multiple chains by Ahmad b. Hanbal in his Musnad (Nos. 892, 893) and Faaaʾil al-Sahabah (No. 38). The transmitter from Abd Khayr, Habib b. Abi Thabit, said: “I asked Abd Khayr, ‘Did you hear this statement directly from Ali?’ He replied: نعم، ورب الكعبة، وإلا فصمتا — ‘Yes, by the Lord of the Kaʿbah! If not, may my ears become deaf.’” (Musnad Abi Yala, No. 517; Musnad Ahmad, No. 893)
In some versions, Abd Khayr states that this declaration was made by Ali (RA) after the Battle of Jamal, during the campaign against the Khawarij at Nahrawan (Tarikh Dimashq, 30:367).
In one version, after mentioning Umar (RA), the following sentence is included:- ثم يجعل الله الخير حيث أحب — “Then Allah places goodness wherever He wills.” (Musnad Ahmad, Nos. 906, 1008)
In other versions, the final words are: – وانا قد أحدثنا بعدهم أحداثًا يقضي الله تعالى فيها ما شاء — “And we have introduced matters after them; Allah will judge them as He wills.” (Musnad Ahmad, Nos. 910, 1009)
In one version recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, the words of the narration are:
سمعت عليا يقول : قبض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على خير ما قبض عليه نبي من الأنبياء ، قال : ثم استخلف أبو بكر فعمل بعمل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وبسنته، ثم قبض أبو بكر على خير ما قبض عليه أحد، وكان خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها، ثم استخلف عمر فعمل بعملهما وسننهما، ثم قبض على خير ما قبض عليه أحد، وكان خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها وبعد أبي بكر
I heard Ali say: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed away in the best condition in which any Prophet has passed away. Then Abu Bakr was appointed as successor, and he acted according to the way and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). Then Abu Bakr also passed away in the best possible condition, and he was the best of this Ummah after its Prophet. Then Umar was appointed as successor, and he followed their ways and practices. He too passed away in the best possible condition, and he was the best of this Ummah after its Prophet and after Abu Bakr. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, No. 36379)
Ibn Asakir compiled various narrations of this report from a large number of Successors (tabiUn). Among them are: Zirr b. Hubaysh, Nazzal b. Sabrah, Amr b. Maʿdikarib, Harith b. Abdullah, Abu al-Jaʿd al-Ashjaʿi, Amr b. Shurahbil, Masʿadah al-Bajali, Abu Hilal al-Ataki, Abdullah b. Salamah, Abd al-Rahman al-Asbahani, Sharik, Abu Mukhlad, Abu Hazim, Zayd b. Wahb, Ibrahim al-Nakhaʿi, Ṭalhah b. Musarrif, Abu Ishaq, and Ali b. Shuʿbah (Tarikh Dimashq, 30:348–377; 44:196–217).
In the transmission of Abu Hilal al-Ataki, it is narrated:
كنت جالسًا إلى جنب منبر علي بن أبي طالب وهو يخطب الناس، فسمعته يقول : خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبوبكر ثم عمر، فبدرته . وقلت : ثم أنت يا أمير المؤمنين الثالث؟ فقال : لا ، ولا الرابع
I was sitting beside the pulpit of Ali b. Abu Talib while he was delivering a sermon to the people. I heard him say: ‘The best of this ummah after its Prophet are Abu Bakr and then Umar.’ I quickly interjected and said, ‘Then are you the third, O Commander of the Faithful?’ He replied, ‘No, nor the fourth.’ (Tarikh Dimashq, 44:216)
In the chain from Sharik, Ismael b. Ziyad reports:
سمعت شريكا يقول لقوم من الشيعة : إنا ما علمنا بعلي حتى صعد المنبر فقال : إن خير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها أبو بكر وعمر، والله ما سألناه عن ذلك، يا جاهل أفترانا كنا نقوم فنقول : كذبت؟
I heard Sharik saying to a group from among the Shiʿah: ‘We did not know of this statement from Ali until he ascended the pulpit and said: “The best of this ummah after its Prophet are Abu Bakr and Umar.” By Allah, we did not even ask him about it.’ Then, turning to one of them, he said: ‘O ignorant one! Do you think we would have stood up and said to him: You are lying?’ (Tarikh Dimashq, 44:217)
In the narration from Abu Mukhlad, it is said:
قال علي بن أبي طالب : ما مات رسول الله صلى الله علیہ وسلم حتى عرفنا أفضلنا بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أبو بكر، وما مات أبو بكر حتى عرفنا أن أفضلنا بعد أبي بكر عمر ، وما مات عمر حتى عرفنا أن أفضلنا بعد أبي بكر وعمر رجل لم يسمه
Ali b. Abi Talib said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) did not pass away without us having come to know that the best among us after him was Abu Bakr. And Abu Bakr did not pass away until we came to know
that the best among us after him was Umar. And Umar did not pass away until we came to know that the best among us after Abu Bakr and Umar was a man—whose name Ali did not mention.’ (Tarikh Dimashq, 30:375)
Besides these transmitters, this report is also narrated from Ali (RA) through the following individuals:
– Abdullah b. Salamah (in Sunan Ibn Majah, No. 105; Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, No. 31323; Al- Sunnah by Abu Bakr b. al-Khallal, No. 359; Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nuʿaym, 7:200; and Al-Imamah wa al-Radd ala al-Rafizah by Abu Nuʿaym, No 58)
– Abd Allah b. Zurayr al-Ghafiqi (Al-Sunnah, Ibn Abi Asim, No. 1214)
– Yahya b. Shaddad (Sharh Usul Itiqad Ahl al-Sunnah, Lalakaʾi, No. 2453)
[To be continued]