525 - Mansur ibn al-Walid informed us that Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Nasa'i narrated to them, saying: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] being asked about a man who prefers 'Ali over Abu Bakr and 'Umar, may Allah have mercy on them both? He said: "What an evil statement this is."
٥٢٥ - أَخْبَرَنَا مَنْصُورُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، أَنَّ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّسَائِيَّ، حَدَّثَهُمْ ⦗٣٧٨⦘ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يُسْأَلُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ يُفَضِّلُ عَلِيًّا عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَعُمَرَ رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ؟ قَالَ: «بِئْسَ الْقَوْلُ هَذَا»
