It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: We, the community of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when we were present in large numbers and gathered together, used to say among ourselves: "The most excellent and distinguished person of this Ummah after its Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman" (may Allah be pleased with them), "and after that we would fall silent."
Al-Harith bin Abi Usamah recorded this hadith in his Musnad, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).
Hadith Referenceالمطالب العالية بزوائد المسانيد الثمانية / كتاب المناقب / 3995
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده ضعيف
Hadith Takhrij«حکم الحدیث المطالب العالیہ محققاً تنسیق د. سعد بن ناصر بن عبد العزيز الشَّثري- مکتبہ شاملہ :إسناده ضعيف » «انفرد به المصنف من هذا الطريق»