610 - ‘Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Bakr al-Marrudhi, ‘Abd al-Malik al-Maymuni, Harb ibn Isma‘il al-Kirmani, Abu Dawud al-Sijistani, Ahmad ibn al-Husayn, Yusuf ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn Yahya, Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Wasil, Salih ibn ‘Ali al-Halabi [412], Ya‘qub ibn Yusuf al-Mutawwi‘i, and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Harun informed us—with the meaning being similar—that all of them heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal say: "Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman are [in order] in terms of merit, and Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali are [in order] in terms of the Caliphate." ‘Abd Allah ibn Ahmad said: "According to what Safinah said." And Ibn ‘Umar said: "And Ahmad ibn al-Husayn said: The Caliphate is thirty years." And Muhammad ibn Yahya said: "He said: Whoever claims that ‘Ali was not an Imam, where is he heading? Did he not establish the legal penalties (hudud)? Did he not lead the people in Hajj? Did he not, did he not, when the Companions of the Messenger of Allah—may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—would say: 'O Commander of the Faithful'?" And Salih ibn ‘Ali said: "I do not approve of one who holds back regarding ‘Ali in [the matter of] the Caliphate."