Hadith 6025
Ibn 'Umar said: In the time of the Prophet, we did not compare anyone with Abu Bakr. `Umar came next and then Uthman. We would then leave the Prophet's companions without treating any as superior to others. Bukhari transmitted it. In a version by Abu Dawud, he said: When God's messenger was alive, we used to say that the most excellent member of the Prophet's people after himself was Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman.
وَعَن ابْن عمرٍ قَالَ: كُنَّا فِي زَمَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا نَعْدِلُ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ عُمَرَ ثُمَّ عُثْمَانَ ثُمَّ نَتْرُكُ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا نُفَاضِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لِأَبِي دَاوُدَ قَالَ: كُنَّا نَقُولُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَيٌّ: أَفْضَلُ أُمَّةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ثُمَّ عمر ثمَّ عُثْمَان رَضِي الله عَنْهُم