558 - And 'Abd al-Malik al-Maymuni informed me, saying: Ibn Hanbal narrated to us, saying: Abu Mu'awiyah narrated to us, saying: al-A'mash narrated to us, from 'Abd Allah ibn Sinan, he said: 'Abd Allah [ibn Mas'ud] said when 'Uthman was made Caliph: "We have spared no effort in supporting the most noble among us." I asked Ibrahim al-Harbi about his saying: "We have appointed the best of those who remain, the most noble among us," so he said: I asked al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufrah: What is the meaning of your saying: "the most noble among us"? He replied: We do not know of anyone who shut his door upon the two daughters of a Prophet except 'Uthman, may Allah have mercy upon him. Then I returned to the inquiry of Ishaq; Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] said: Every person who places 'Ali before 'Uthman has disparaged the Muhajirun and the Ansar.