It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) picked up some pebbles and they began to glorify (Allah) in his (peace and blessings be upon him) hand. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) put them down and they fell silent. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) picked them up and they began to glorify (Allah) in his (peace and blessings be upon him) hand. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave them to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and they began to glorify (Allah) in his hand. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took them back and they began to glorify (Allah) in his (peace and blessings be upon him) hand. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) put them down and they fell silent. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave them to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and they began to glorify (Allah) in his hand. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took them back and they began to glorify (Allah) in his (peace and blessings be upon him) hand. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) put them down and they fell silent. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave them to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and they began to glorify (Allah) in his hand. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave them to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and he placed them in his hand, and they fell silent.
Imam al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "This is the caliphate which Allah Almighty granted to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar and Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them)."
Imam al-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "No one narrated this hadith from al-Zuhri, from Sa'id bin al-Musayyib, except Muhammad bin Abi Humayd, and no one narrated it from Ibn Abi Humayd except Ibn Wahb; Mawhab is alone in narrating it."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الأوسط / باب العين / 4097
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده ضعيف لضعف محمد بن أبي حميد
Hadith Takhrij«قال الهيثمي: وفيه محمد بن أبي حميد وهو ضعيف وله طريق أحسن من هذا في علامات النبوة وإسناده صحيح وليس فيها قول الزهري في الخلافة «مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد، ج 5، ص 179»» «أخرجه الطبراني فى «الأوسط» برقم: 1244»