I heard Yaḥyá say: “In this ummah, after the Prophet ﷺ, is Abū Bakr (as the most superior and virtuous),
سَمِعت يحيى يَقُول خير هَذِه الْأمة بعد نبيها أَبُو بكر
Then ʿUmar,
ثمَّ عمر
Then ʿUthmān,
ثمَّ عُثْمَان
And then ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with them all).
ثمَّ على