ʿAli ؓ said: The best of this ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, and after Abu Bakr it is ‘Umar ؓ , and if I wanted to tell you of the third one, I could do so.

عَلِيٌّ خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَبَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عُمَرُ وَلَوْ شِئْتُ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ بِالثَّالِثِ لَفَعَلْتُ

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

Shall I not tell you of the best of this ummah after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? It is Abu Bakr and ʼUmar ؓ .

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ أَلا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ

The best of this ummah after its Prophet ﷺ are Abu Bakr and ʼUmar ؓ .

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ

I heard ‘Ali ؓ say: The best of this ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both.

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ إِنَّ خَيْرَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ ثُمَّ عُمَرُ

"خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ بعْدَ نبيِّهَا أَبو بكر وعُمَرُ".

"عَنْ عَلِىٍّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِىَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ: خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ".