ʿAlqamah bin Qais struck this minbar and said: ‘Ali ؓ addressed us from this minbar, he praised and glorified Allah, and said what Allah willed that he should say, and he said:The best of this ummah after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both. Then we got involved in events and Allah will decide concerning that.
وَقَالَ خَطَبَنَا عَلِيٌّ عَلَى هَذَا الْمِنْبَرِ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِوَذَكَرَ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ وَقَالَ إِنَّ خَيْرَ النَّاسِ كَانَ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ثُمَّ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ أَحْدَثْنَا بَعْدَهُمَا أَحْدَاثًا يَقْضِي اللهُ فِيهَا