514 - Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Duri informed me in al-Massisa, dictating from his book, saying: Muhammad ibn 'Awf al-Himsi narrated to us, saying: I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal when he was asked about the issue of precedence (al-tafdil), and he said: "Whoever prioritizes 'Ali over Abu Bakr has cast aspersions upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him; and whoever prioritizes him over 'Umar has cast aspersions upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and upon Abu Bakr; and whoever prioritizes him over 'Uthman has cast aspersions upon Abu Bakr, upon 'Umar, upon the People of the Shura (Consultation), and upon the Muhajirun and the Ansar."
٥١٤ - أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الدُّورِيُّ بِالْمَصِّيصَةِ إِمْلَاءً مِنْ كِتَابِهِ قَالَ: ثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ حَنْبَلٍ وَسُئِلَ عَنِ التَّفْضِيلِ، فَقَالَ: «مَنْ قَدَّمَ عَلِيًّا عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَدْ طَعَنَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَمَنْ قَدَّمَهُ عَلَى عُمَرَ فَقَدْ طَعَنَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَمَنْ قَدَّمَهُ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ، فَقَدْ طَعَنَ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعَلَى وَعُمَرَ، وَعَلَى أَهْلِ الشُّورَى، وَعَلَى الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ»
