593 - Abu Bakr al-Marrudhi informed us, saying: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal], and the subject of superiority was mentioned. He said to me: 'Asim spoke to me regarding superiority while Abu 'Ubayd was present. I said: Abu Bakr, and 'Umar, and 'Uthman.' And I believe he said: 'I presented the hadith of Ibn 'Umar as evidence.' 'Asim then said: 'We say: Abu Bakr, and 'Umar, and 'Uthman, and 'Ali,' and Abu 'Ubayd agreed with him. He [Ahmad] said: 'So I said to Abu 'Ubayd: I do not reject what you say, O Abu 'Ubayd.' He said: 'So he became pleased with that.'"