539 - Muhammad ibn Abi Harun informed us that Ishaq narrated to them, saying: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal], and it was said to him: "A man says: 'We prefer Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and 'Ali [is equal] with them, but we omit 'Uthman.'" He became angry and then said: Ibn Mas'ud said: "We appointed the best among us, and we did not fall short in choosing the one who was superior, the one of high standing." His allegiance was early. This is a man of evil. Then he brought out a book for me containing these hadiths, and I read them to him.
٥٣٩ - أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي هَارُونَ، أَنَّ إِسْحَاقَ حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ رَجُلًا يَقُولُ: نُفَضِّلُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، وَعَلِيٌّ مَعَهُمْ، وَنَتْرُكُ عُثْمَانَ، فَغَضِبَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ: «أَمَّرْنَا خَيْرَنَا وَلَمْ نَأْلُ عَنْ أَعْلَاهَا، ذَا فَوْقٍ» ، وَبَيْعَتُهُ سَابِقَةٌ، هَذَا رَجُلُ سُوءٍ، ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَ لِي كِتَابًا فِيهِ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثَ، فَقَرَأْتُهَا عَلَيْهِ
