355 - 'Ali ibn Harb reported to us, saying: Sufyan narrated to us, saying: Isma'il ibn Dithar narrated to us, saying: A man said something to Sharik regarding the matter of 'Ali. He (Sharik) said: "O ignorant one! We did not know about 'Ali until he came out and ascended this pulpit, and by Allah, we did not ask him until he said to us: 'Do you know who the best of this Ummah is after its Prophet?' We remained silent, so he said: 'Abu Bakr and 'Umar.' O ignorant one! Would we have stood up and said to him: 'You lied?'"
٣٥٥ - أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ: ثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ: ثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ دِثَارٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِشَرِيكٍ شَيْئًا فِي أَمْرِ عَلِيٍّ، فَقَالَ: يَا جَاهِلُ، مَا عَلِمْنَا بِعَلِيٍّ حَتَّى خَرَجَ فَصَعِدَ هَذَا الْمِنْبَرَ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا سَأَلْنَاهُ حَتَّى قَالَ لَنَا: " تَدْرُونَ مَنْ خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا؟ فَسَكَتْنَا، فَقَالَ: «أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ» يَا جَاهِلُ ⦗٢٩١⦘، أَفَكُنَّا نَقُومُ فَنَقُولُ لَهُ: كَذَبْتَ
