I heard Ibn 'Abbas as saying: When 'Umar b. Khattab was placed in the coffin the people gathered around him. They praised him and supplicated for him before the bier was lifted up, and I was one amongst them. Nothing attracted my attention but a person who gripped my shoulder from behind. I saw towards him and found that he was 'Ali. He invoked Allah's mercy upon 'Umar and said: You have left none behind you (whose) deeds (are so enviable) that I love to meet Allah with them. By Allah, I hoped that Allah would keep you and your two associates together. I had often heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: I came and there came too Abu Bakr and 'Umar; I entered and there entered too Abu Bakr and 'Umar; I went out and there went out too Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and I hope and think that Allah will keep you along with them.
فَلَمْ يَرُعْنِي إِلاَّ بِرَجُلٍ قَدْ أَخَذَ بِمَنْكِبِي مِنْ وَرَائِي فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَيْهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ عَلِيُّ فَتَرَحَّمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ وَقَالَ مَا خَلَّفْتَ أَحَدًا أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ أَنْ أَلْقَى اللَّهَ بِمِثْلِ عَمَلِهِ مِنْكَ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُ لأَظُنُّ أَنْ يَجْعَلَكَ اللَّهُ مَعَ صَاحِبَيْكَ وَذَاكَ أَنِّي كُنْتُ أُكَثِّرُ أَسْمَعُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ جِئْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَدَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَخَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ فَإِنْ كُنْتُ لأَرْجُو أَوْ لأَظُنُّ أَنْ يَجْعَلَكَ اللَّهُ مَعَهُمَا