603 - Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Sadaqah dictated to me, saying: I heard Harun ibn Sufyan say: I said to Ahmad ibn Hanbal: 'O Abu 'Abd Allah, what do you say about someone who says: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman?' He replied: 'This is the statement of Ibn 'Umar, and it is what we hold.' I said: 'And who says: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali?' He replied: 'A follower of the Sunnah.' I said: 'And who says: Abu Bakr and 'Umar?' He replied: 'Sufyan, Shu'bah, and Malik have said it.' I said: 'And who says: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Ali?' He replied: 'This is now difficult, this is now difficult.'