The best of this ummah after its Prophet ﷺ is Abu Bakr, the best of it after Abu Bakr is ʿUmar; and if I wanted, I could name the third one.

أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَخَيْرُهَا بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عُمَرُ وَلَوْ شِئْتُ سَمَّيْتُ الثَّالِثَ

I heard ʿAli ؓ say: The best of this ummah after its Prophet ﷺ are Abu Bakr and ‘Umar ؓ , and if I wanted, I could tell you of the third one.

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَلَوْ شِئْتُ لَحَدَّثْتُكُمْ بِالثَّالِثِ

Shall I not tell you of the best of this ummah after its Prophet? [It is] Abu Bakr, and the best of it after Abu Bakr is ʿUmar ؓ . Then Allah puts goodness wherever He wills.

أَلا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا؟ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَخَيْرُهَا بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُ اللهُ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ أَحَبَّ

Shall I not tell you of the best of this ummah after its Prophet ﷺ? [It is] Abu Bakr, then the best of it after Abu Bakr is ‘Umar ؓ , then Allah puts goodness wherever He wills.

أَلا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا ﷺ؟ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ثُمَّ خَيْرُهَا بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُ اللهُ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ أَحَبَّ

[Machine] "Shall I not inform you of the good of this nation after its Prophet ﷺ ?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Abu Bakr." Then he said, "Shall I not inform you of the good of this nation after Abu Bakr?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Umar, and if I wanted, I would inform you about the third."

«أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا ﷺ؟» قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ «أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ؟» قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ «عُمَرُ وَلَوْ شِئْتُ لَأَخْبَرْتُكُمْ بِالثَّالِثِ»

بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَبَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عُمَرُ وَلَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أُسَمِّيَ الثَّالِثَ لَسَمَّيْتُهُ