Part 24: “The Best of this Ummah After its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman then…” The Sequence of Excellence. The Foundations of the Sunnah of Imām Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (d. 241H)

In the name of Allāh, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

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Based on the explanation of Allāmah Ahmad an-Najmī, with additional notes from Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid Alam. 

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Part 24: “The Best of this Ummah After its Prophet (may Allah extol his mention in the highest company and grant him peace) is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthmān.”

Imām Ahmad bin Hanbal (rahimahullāh) continued:

وَخَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ، ثُمَّ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ، ثُمَّ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ، نُقَدِّمُ هَؤُلَاءِ الثَّلَاثَةَ كَمَا قَدَّمَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، لَمْ يَخْتَلِفُوا فِي ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ بَعْدَ هَؤُلَاءِ الثَّلَاثَةِ أَصْحَابُ الشُّورَى الْخَمْسَةُ: عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَطَلْحَةُ، وَالزُّبَيْرُ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ، وَسَعْدٌ، كُلُّهُمْ يَصْلُحُ لِلْخِلَافَةِ، وَكُلُّهُمْ إِمَامٌ، وَنَذْهَبُ فِي ذَلِكَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ: «كُنَّا نَعُدُّ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَيٌّ وَأَصْحَابُهُ مُتَوَافِرُونَ: أَبَا بَكْرٍ، ثُمَّ عُمَرَ، ثُمَّ عُثْمَانَ، ثُمَّ نَسْكُتُ». ثُمَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَصْحَابِ الشُّورَى أَهْلُ بَدْرٍ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، ثُمَّ أَهْلُ بَدْرٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، عَلَى قَدْرِ الْهِجْرَةِ وَالسَّابِقَةِ، أَوَّلًا فَأَوَّلًا.

“The best of this Ummah after its Prophet (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is Abū Bakr as-Siddīq, followed by ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb, then ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān. We give precedence to these three, just as the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) gave precedence to them. They did not differ concerning that.

Then, after these three, come the five Companions of the Shūrā (Consultative Body): ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib, Talhah, az-Zubayr, ʿAbdur-Rahmān ibn ʿAwf and Saʿd. Each of them was suitable for the caliphate, and each of them was an Imām. In this regard, we follow the hadīth of Ibn ʿUmar:

“We used to consider, while the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) was alive and his Companions were numerous, Abū Bakr, then ʿUmar, then ʿUthmān; then we would remain silent.”

Then, after the Companions of the Shūrā, come the participants of Badr from among the Muhājirūn, followed by the participants of Badr from among the Ansār, from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam). Their precedence is according to their Hijrah and their being among the foremost, in order, one after another.”

Explanation:

It is obligatory upon the muslims to suffice with the narrations of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) in this regard. As for the people of the Shūrā: the Companions who were appointed by ‘Umar (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) on his deathbed, then it is known that they were actually six in number. The six members of the consultative council (Shūrā) appointed by ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu, were:

1. ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān
2. ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib
3. ʿAbdur-Rahmān ibn ʿAwf
4. Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ
5. az-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām
6. Talhah ibn ʿUbaydillāh

Al-Bukhārī (no. 3700) brings the narration of ʿAmr ibn Maymūn describing the council appointed by ʿUmar (radiyallāhu ʿanhu). It names the six candidates during the account of the selection of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (radyallāhu ʿanhu).

Saʿīd ibn Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl al-ʿAdawī was not one of those six appointed members. He was, however, one of the ten Companions given the glad tidings of Paradise. He was the son of the famous Hanīf (pure monotheist), Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl. Ibn Kathīr writes:

وَكَانَتْ وَفَاتُهُ قَبْلَ الْمَبْعَثِ بِثَلَاثِ سِنِينَ أَوْ نَحْوِهَا، وَاللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ.

“His (Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl) death occurred approximately three years before the beginning of the Prophet’s mission, and Allāh knows best.” (See Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-Nihāyah, biography of Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl 3/316)

Every one of these six was suitable for khilāfah, but they chose ‘Uthmān (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) which further proves the precedence of ‘Uthmān over ‘Ali (radiyallāhu ‘anhu), even though both of them are excellent and virtuous, but ‘Uthmān is more excellent than ‘Ali, as ‘Umar is more excellent than ‘Uthmān, and as Abu Bakr is more excellent than all of them (radiyallāhu ‘anhum ajma’īn).

Also, the appointment of the Khulafā ar-Rāshideen in the manner that the Sahābah took them as their leaders is a proof in itself, which is why ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said about the Companions: ’Therefore whatever they hold to be good, it is good, and whatever they held to be evil, then it is evil.’ So the Sahābah held Abu Bakr to be the best, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthmān, then ‘Ali. Anyone who changes that order has changed the order of that which the Sahābah were upon, and what their Prophet was upon

Anyone who gives precedence to ‘Ali over ‘Uthmān has fallen into tashayyu’ (a type of Shi’ism). This is because the consultative council (Shūrā) chose ‘Uthmān over ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with them both). In the statement of Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) mentioned by Imām Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in the text of Usūl as-Sunnah: “We used to consider, while the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) was alive and his Companions were numerous, Abū Bakr, then ʿUmar, then ʿUthmān; then we would remain silent.” Another report states:

كُنَّا نَتَحَدَّثُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ خَيْرَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، ثُمَّ عُمَرُ، ثُمَّ عُثْمَانُ، فَيَبْلُغُ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَا يُنْكِرُهُ.

“During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) we used to say that the best of this Ummah after its Prophet was Abū Bakr, then ʿUmar, then ʿUthmān. This reached the Prophet, (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) and he did not object to it.” (Ibn Abī ʿĀsim’s Kitāb al-Sunnah, no. 1193; a sahīh narration).

If ‘Ali was better than these three, then the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) would have corrected them, because it is not permissible for the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) to remain quiet whilst wrong was taking place in his presence, and the tacit approval of the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) is a sunnah. Therefore, the Prophet (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) approved of this statement. Furthermore, the Ashābush-Shūrā themselves: among the foremost of whom is ‘Ali (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) himself, all chose ‘Uthmān. So the best of the men alive upon the Earth on that day chose ‘Uthmān. None will say they made a mistake except an ignorant and misguided person.

After the people of Shūrā, then it is people who were at the pledge al-’Aqabah. Those present at the pledge of ‘Aqabah, then those who fought at Badr from among the Muhājireen, then those who fought at Badr from amongst the Ansār, then the Companions who took the pledge of Ridwān before the treaty of Hudaybiyah; then those who embraced Islām before the conquest of Makkah; then those who embraced after the conquest of Makkah; and migrated to Madinah and fought in the cause of Allah; then the younger Sahābah who were children. These are the levels of excellence among the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam).

 So, in summary, the best of the Companions, in order, are as follows:

1. The Khulafā ar-Rāshideen.
2. The ten who were promised Jannah, which includes the companions of ash-Shūrā who appointed ʿUthmān as the third Caliph.
3. The people of Badr from the Muhājireen.
4. The people of Badr from the Ansār.
5. Those who embraced before the conquest of Makkah and fought alongside the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) and took the pledge of Ridwān; then those who embraced before the conquest but after the pledge of Ridwān.
6. Those who embraced after the conquest of Makkah.
7. The children from amongst the Sahābah.

Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with him.

والحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك

Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid.
Copyright 2026.

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