The Book of the Sunnah
كتاب المقدمة
Chapter 12: The Virtue of Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra)
"The Messenger of Allah came out standing between Abu Bakr and 'Umar and said: 'Thus will I be resurrected,'"
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Abu Bakr and 'Umar are the leaders of the mature people of Paradise, the first and the last, except for the Prophets and the Messengers.'"
"It was said: 'O Messenger of Allah, which of the people is most beloved to you?' He said: "Aishah.' It was asked, 'And among men?' He said: 'Her father.'"
Chapter 13: The Virtue of 'Umar (ra)
"I said to 'Aishah: 'Which of the (Prophet's) Companions was most beloved to him?' She said: 'Abu Bakr.' I said: 'Then which of them?' She said: ''Umar.' I said: 'Then which of them?' She said: 'Abu 'Ubaidah.'"
"When 'Umar became Muslim, Jibril came down and said: 'O Muhammed! The people of heaven are rejoicing because of 'Umar's Islam.'"
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'The first person with whom Allah will shake hands will be 'Umar, (and he is) the first person to be greeted with the Salam, and the first person who will be taken by the hand and admitted into Paradise.'"
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'O Allah! Strengthen Islam with 'Umar bin Khattab in particular.'"
"I heard 'Ali say: 'The best of people after the Messenger of Allah is Abu Bakr, and the best of people after Abu Bakr is 'Umar.'"
"We were sitting with the Prophet and he said: 'While I was sleeping I saw myself in Paradise (in a dream), and I saw a woman performing ablution beside a palace. I asked: "Whose palace is this?" She said: "'Umar's." I remembered his protective jealousy, so I turned away and left.'" Abu Hurairah said: ''Umar wept and said: 'May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah! Would I feel any protective jealousy against you?'"
"I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Allah has placed the truth on the tongue of 'Umar, and he speaks with that (truth).'"
Chapter 14: The Virtues of 'Uthman (ra)
The Messenger of Allah said: "Every Prophet will have a friend in Paradise, and my friend there will be 'Uthman bin 'Affan."
The Prophet met 'Uthman at the door of the mosque and said: "O 'Uthman! Jibril has told me that Allah married you to Umm Kulthum for a dowry like that of Ruqayyah, provided that you treat her as you treated Ruqayyah."
"The Messenger of Allah mentioned a Fitnah (tribulation) that had drawn nigh. Then a man passed by with his head covered. The Messenger of Allah said: 'On that day, this man will be following right guidance.' I leapt up and took hold of 'Uthman's arms, then I turned to face the Messenger of Allah and said: 'This man?' He said: 'This man.'"
The Messenger of Allah said: "O 'Uthman, if Allah places you in authority over this matter (as the caliph) some day and the hypocrites want to rid you of the garment with which Allah has clothed you (i.e., the position of caliph), do not take it off." He said that three times. (One of the narrators) Nu'man said: "I said to 'Aishah: 'What kept you from telling the people that?' She said: 'I was made to forget it.'"
"When he was ill, the Messenger of Allah said: 'I would like to have some of my Companions with me.' We said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Shall we call Abu Bakr for you?' But he remained silent. We said: 'Shall we call 'Umar for you?' But he remained silent. We said: 'Shall we call 'Uthman for you?' He said: 'Yes.' So 'Uthman came and he spoke to him in private. The Prophet started to speak to him and 'Uthman's expression changed." Qais said: "Abu Sahlah, the freed slave of 'Uthman, narrated to me that on the Day of the House, 'Uthman bin 'Affan said: 'The Messenger of Allah told me what would come to pass and now I am coming to that day.'"In his narration of the Hadith, 'Ali (one of the narrators) said (that he said): "And I am going to bear it with patience."Qais said: "They used to think that that was the Day of the House."
Chapter 15: The Virtue of `Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra)
"The Unlettered Prophet informed me (saying) that none but a believer would love me and none but a hypocrite would hate me."
The Prophet said to 'Ali: "Would it not please you to be to me as Harun was to Musa?"
"We returned with the Messenger of Allah from his Hajj that he had performed, and we stopped at some point on the road. He commanded that prayer should be performed in congregation, then he took the hand of 'Ali and said: 'Am I not dearer to the believers than their own selves?' They said: 'Yes indeed.' He said: 'Am I not dearer to every believer than his own self?' They said: 'Yes indeed.' He said: 'This man is the friend of those whose master I am.' O Allah, take as friends those who take him as a friend, and take as enemies those who take him as an enemy.'"
"Abu Laila used to travel with 'Ali, and he used to wear summer clothes in winter and winter clothes in summer. We said: 'Why don't you ask him (about that)?' He said: "The Messenger of Allah sent for me and my eyes were sore, on the Day of Khaibar. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, my eyes are sore.' He put some spittle into my eyes, then he said: 'O Allah, take heat and cold away from him.' I never felt hot or cold again after that day. He (the Prophet) said: 'I will send a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love, and he is not one who flees from the battlefield.' The people craned their necks to see, and he sent for 'Ali and gave it (the banner) to him."
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Hasan and Husain will be the leaders of the youth of Paradise, and their father is better than them."