The four Caliphs

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ali, if you become ruler after me, expel the people of Najran from the Arabian Peninsula."
Ahmad recorded it; its chain contains a narrator named Qays whose lineage is not stated; apparently he is Qays bin al-Rabi', who is da'if (weak), though Shu'bah and al-Thawri declared him thiqah (trustworthy), and the rest of its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: On the night of the meeting with the jinn, I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took a deep breath. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with you?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ibn Mas'ud, I have been informed of my own death." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, will you appoint someone as caliph?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whom?" I said: "Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. Then he walked on for a while, then he took a deep breath. I said: "May my mother and father be sacrificed for you, what is the matter with you?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ibn Mas'ud, I have been informed of my death." I said: "Then appoint someone as caliph." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Whom?" I said: "Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. Then we walked on for a while, then he took a deep breath. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with you?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ibn Mas'ud, I have been informed of my death." I said: "Appoint someone as caliph." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Whom?" I said: "Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By the One in whose Hand is my soul, if the people obey him, they will all, every one of them, enter Paradise."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains Mina, who is a kadhdhab (liar).

Abu Maymunah narrates: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The people of Makkah expelled the Messenger of Allah, so the caliphate will not be among them; and the people of Madinah martyred Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), so the caliphate will never return among them."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Among you is one who will fight over the interpretation of the Qur'an just as I fought over its revelation." Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, will it be me?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No." Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, will it be me?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No; rather, it will be the one mending the sandals." The narrator says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had given his sandals to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and he was mending them.
Abu Ya'la recorded it; its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Ali bin Rabi'ah narrates: I heard Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) say on this pulpit of yours: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took a covenant from me that I would fight those who break (their pledge or covenant), those who turn away from the truth, and those who exit (from the religion)."
Abu Ya'la recorded it; its chain contains al-Rabi' bin Sahl, whom I do not know, and the rest of its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).