607 - Muhammad ibn Idris al-Massisi informed me, saying: I heard Hamid ibn Yahya al-Balkhi say: Ahmad ibn Hanbal used to hold the position regarding the order of precedence: Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman, then ‘Ali.

608 - Abu Bakr al-Khallal said: The school of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, which is his established school, is: Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman, and this is what is well-known from him. Al-Marwarrudhi, may Allah have mercy on him, and others narrated that he said to ‘Asim and Abu ‘Ubayd: "I do not reject your statement regarding the inclusion of ‘Ali in the fourth position." After this, a group of prominent, senior leaders, who were of his age or near his age, also narrated that he said: "Whoever says ‘Ali, he is a follower of the Sunnah." Ahmad ibn Abi al-Hawari narrated from him that he said: "And ‘Ali." In my view, this is only because he did not wish for the people of Syria to take from him what they might adopt regarding this, for he was the leader of all people in his time, and no one from the people denied that. Thus, he did not want anything taken from him except the moderate position, because the people of Syria are excessive regarding ‘Uthman just as the people of Kufa are excessive regarding ‘Ali. Something similar occurred from Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, when he came to Yemen. He asked: "What are they known for?" It was said: "For Nabidh (a type of fermented drink) and for ‘Ali." So he did not narrate a single hadith on that subject until he left Yemen. Scholars possess insight into affairs and choose what they see as correct for the common people. All of these statements are sound and excellent. As for Yahya ibn Ma‘in, may Allah have mercy on him, and Bishr ibn al-Harith, the report from both of them is like the report from Abu ‘Abd Allah; it is repeated from him, as sometimes they say: "And ‘Uthman," and another time it is narrated from him that they say: "‘Uthman and ‘Ali." All of this is correct according to what they said. That which we hold regarding the statement of Abu ‘Abd Allah, may Allah be pleased with him, is that whoever says: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman, has reached the correct conclusion, and this is what is acted upon in the transmission of hadiths and following them. And whoever says: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, it is also correct, sound, and there is no harm in it.