I heard ʿA'isha as saying and she was asked as to whom Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have nominated as his successor if he had to nominate one at all. She said: Abu Bakr. It was said to her: Then whom after Abu Bakr? She said: ʿUmar. It was said to her. Then whom after ʿUmar? She said: Abu ʿUbaida b. al-Jarrah, and then she kept quiet at this.  

سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ وَسُئِلَتْ مَنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُسْتَخْلِفًا لَوِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ قَالَتْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقِيلَ لَهَا ثُمَّ مَنْ بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهَا مَنْ بَعْدَ عُمَرَ قَالَتْ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ ثُمَّ انْتَهَتْ إِلَى هَذَا  

"عَنْ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ سُئِلَتْ: مَنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مُسْتَخْلِفًا لَوِ اسْتَخْلَفَ؟ قَالَتْ: أَبُو بَكْرٍ، ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهَا: مَنْ بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ؟ قَالَتْ: عُمْرُ، ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهَا: مَنْ بَعْدَ عُمَرَ؟ قَالَتْ: أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الجَرَّاحِ، ثُمَّ انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى هَذَا".