509 - Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn Hassan informed me that Abu Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] was asked about a man who loves the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, but does not prefer some of them over others, while he [still] loves them? He said: "The Sunnah is to prefer Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali among the Caliphs."
٥٠٩ - أَخْبَرَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ، أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، سُئِلَ عَنِ رَجُلٍ يُحِبُّ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَلَا يُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّهُمْ؟ قَالَ: «السُّنَّةُ أَنْ يُفَضِّلَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، وَعُثْمَانَ، وَعَلِيًّا مِنَ الْخُلَفَاءِ»
