514 - Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Duri informed me in al-Massisa, dictating from his book, saying: Muhammad ibn 'Awf al-Himsi narrated to us, saying: I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal when he was asked about the issue of precedence (al-tafdil), and he said: "Whoever prioritizes 'Ali over Abu Bakr has cast aspersions upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him; and whoever prioritizes him over 'Umar has cast aspersions upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and upon Abu Bakr; and whoever prioritizes him over 'Uthman has cast aspersions upon Abu Bakr, upon 'Umar, upon the People of the Shura (Consultation), and upon the Muhajirun and the Ansar."