Hadith 926
Chapter 5: Musnad 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib - وَمِنْ مُسْنَدِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْد اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنِي وَهْبُ بْنُ بَقِيَّةَ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ حُصَيْنٍ، عَنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ خَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قَامَ عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَإِنَّا قَدْ أَحْدَثْنَا بَعْدَهُمْ أَحْدَاثًا يَقْضِي اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيهَا مَا شَاءَ.
It was narrated from al-Musayyab bin ‘Abd Khair that his father said :
‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) stood up and said: The best of this ummah after its Prophet are Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, then we got involved in matters which Allah will judge as He wills.
Reference : Musnad Ahmad 926
In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 353