572 - Abu Bakr al-Marwudhi, Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath, Abu 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Wasil, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Harun ibn 'Ali ibn Salih al-Halabi (from the family of Maymun ibn Mihran), and Ya'qub ibn Yusuf al-Mutawwi'i informed us that they heard Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] say: "Regarding Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman, the statement of Ibn 'Umar is: 'We used to count, while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was still alive, and we would say: Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, and then we would remain silent.'"