587 - 'Ubayd Allah ibn Hanbal informed me, saying: My father narrated to me, saying: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah, when asked about the preference (between the Companions), say: "Go to the hadith of Ibn 'Umar; he said: 'We used to prefer (the Companions) during the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and we would say: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman.'" Abu 'Abd Allah said: "And we do not go beyond the report (al-athar) and following (al-ittiba'). For the following is for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and after him for his Companions. When his Companions were content with that, they were the ones who preferred some of themselves over others, and they did not disparage one another. Thus, it is upon us to follow that which our predecessors were upon, and we take them as our example."