Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 34118 — Reports on Abu Bakr al-Siddiq

Sayyiduna Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The best person of this Ummah after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and after Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) it is Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). And if I wished to tell you about the third, I could do so."