585 - 'Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Harun informed me, saying: I read to Muhammad ibn Musa, who said: Ibn Jamil al-Mudarrab narrated to me, saying: Abu Bakr al-Andalusi—a mature man who had written and had been written from—narrated to me, saying: I heard Abu Hafs Harmalah ibn Yahya al-Tujibi say: I heard 'Abd Allah ibn Wahb say: I asked Malik ibn Anas: "Who is the best of people after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?" He said: "Abu Bakr and 'Umar." I asked: "Then who?" He said: "Stop." I said: "O Abu 'Abd Allah, you are an Imam whom I follow in my religion." He said: "Abu Bakr and 'Umar, then 'Uthman."
٥٨٥ - أَخْبَرَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ هَارُونَ، قَالَ: قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ جَمِيلٍ الْمُضَرِّبُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْأَنْدَلُسِيُّ كَهْلًا قَدْ كَتَبَ وَكُتِبَ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا حَفْصٍ حَرْمَلَةَ بْنَ يَحْيَى التُّجِيبِيَّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ وَهْبٍ يَقُولُ: سَأَلْتُ مَالِكَ بْنَ أَنَسٍ: " مَنْ أَفْضَلُ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ، قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: أَمْسِكْ، قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، إِنَّكَ إِمَامٌ أَقْتَدِي بِكَ فِي دِينِي، قَالَ: أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ، ثُمَّ عُثْمَانُ "
