604 - Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Jami' al-Razi informed me, saying: Abu Hatim al-Razi narrated to us, saying: I heard Ahmad ibn Abi al-Hawari say: I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Hims about the order of precedence (al-tafdil), while a group of the people of Hims were saying: 'Abu al-Hasan is a follower of the Sunnah,' meaning himself. Ahmad replied: 'Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman.' Then Ahmad ibn Abi al-Hawari said: I mentioned that to Yahya ibn Ma'in, who replied: 'Abu 'Abd Allah spoke the truth, and this is my position.'