388 - Muhammad ibn 'Ali informed us, he said: Muhanna narrated to us, he said: "I asked Ahmad about his saying: 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, preceded (in excellence), Abu Bakr followed (as the second), and 'Umar came third.' Is this regarding horse racing?" He said: "No." I said: "In what matter is it then?" He said: "It is regarding Islam."
٣٨٨ - أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: ثَنَا مُهَنَّى، قَالَ: " سَأَلْتُ أَحْمَدَ مَا قَوْلُهُ: «سَبَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَصَلَّى أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَثَلَّثَ عُمَرُ» ، هُوَ فِي سِبَاقِ ⦗٣١٣⦘ الْخَيْلِ؟، قَالَ: لَا. قُلْتُ: فِي أَيِّ شَيْءٍ هُوَ؟ قَالَ: فِي الْإِسْلَامِ "
