601 - Muhammad ibn Musa and al-Hasan ibn Jahdar informed me that al-Hasan ibn Thawab narrated to them, saying: I said to Abu 'Abd Allah: 'What about one who says regarding the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali?' He replied: 'Yes.' I said: 'Indeed, some people say: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Ali, and 'Uthman?' He replied: 'These are the people of Badr, may Allah be pleased with them; they place Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali in order. They do not place 'Ali before 'Uthman, unless there is a variation of precedence and postponement in the hadith of Yahya. As for the hadith, it is: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali.' I said: 'The hadith of Ibn 'Umar: "We used to say while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was alive: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman," then I remained silent. Is it not that whoever says this has acted correctly? And whoever says Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali has also acted correctly?' He replied: 'Yes, he has acted correctly. Whoever says either of these two statements has acted correctly, and whoever says: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Ali, and 'Uthman has erred.' I said: 'Do we suspect him in his religion?' And I saw that he liked what I had said to him."