A--- Imesimuliwa kutoka kwa Ibn 'Umar (Allah awe radhi nao): "Wakati wa uhai wa Mtume ﷺ tulimchukulia Abu Bakr kuwa hana mfano, kisha 'Umar, kisha 'Uthman (anayefuata baada yake kwa ubora), kisha hatukuwa tukiwatofautisha masahaba wa Mtume ﷺ."(Sahih Al-Bukhari) him): "Nilimwambia Mtume ﷺ nilipokuwa pangoni: 'Mmoja wao akiangalia chini ya miguu yake, atatuona.' Akasema: 'Ee Abu Bakr! Unafikiri nini kuhusu watu wawili ambao wa tatu wao ni Allah?'" (Bukhari na Muslim) him): Mtume ﷺ anasema: "Kama ningeweza kuchukua Khalil, ningemchukua Abu Bakr, lakini yeye ni ndugu yangu na mwenzangu (katika Uislamu)." (Bukhari na Muslim)

A--- Narrated Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them): "During the lifetime of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) we considered Abu Bakr as peerless and then`Umar and then' Uthman (coming next to him in superiority) and then we used not to differentiate between the companions of the Prophet.”(Sahih Al-Bukhari) him): "I said to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) while I was in the Cave. "If any of them should look under his feet, he would see us. "He said: "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two (persons) the third of whom is Allah?" (Bukhari and Muslim) him): The Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is my brother and my companion (in Islam)." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Mtume ﷺ anasema: "Allah alinituma (kama Nabii) kwenu (watu), lakini ninyi mlisema (kwangu), 'Wewe unasema uongo,' wakati Abu Bakr alisema: 'Amesema kweli, na aliniliwaza kwa nafsi yake na mali yake.' Kisha akasema mara mbili, 'Je, hamtaacha kumdhuru sahaba wangu?' Baada ya hapo hakuna aliyemdhuru Abu Bakr." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "Allah sent me (as a Prophet) to you (people) but you said (to me), 'You are telling a lie,’ while Abu Bakr said: 'He has said the truth, and consoled me with himself and his money.” He then said twice, "Won't you then give up harming my companion?" After that nobody harmed Abu Bakr. (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Mtume (ﷺ) alisema kuhusu kuzungumza kwa mbwa mwitu na ng'ombe, "Lakini mimi ninaamini hilo, na pia Abu Bakr na 'Umar wanaamini." (Bukhari na Muslim)

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said regarding the speaking of the wolf and the cow, "But I believe in it and so do Abu Bakr and 'Umar. " (Bukhari and Muslim)

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ anasema: "Ee Ibn Al-Khattab! Naapa kwa Yule ambaye mikononi mwake kuna uhai wangu! Shetani hamkuti wewe ukienda njia fulani, ila yeye huchukua njia nyingine tofauti na yako." (Bukhari na Muslim) Imepokewa kutoka kwa Abu Hurairah (Allah amridhie): Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema: "Miongoni mwa mataifa yaliyokuwa kabla yenu, kulikuwa na watu waliokuwa wakipewa ilhamu (ingawa hawakuwa Manabii). Na ikiwa kuna mtu wa namna hiyo miongoni mwa wafuasi wangu, basi ni 'Umar." (Bukhari na Muslim)

Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "O Ibn Al-Khattab! By Him in Whose Hands my life is! Never does Satan find you going on a way, but he takes another way other than yours.”(Bukhari and Muslim) Narrated Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger says: "Among the nations before you there used to be people who were inspired (though they were not Prophets). And if there is any of such a persons amongst my followers, it is 'Umar.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Wakati Uthman bin Affan alipoenda Makka kabla ya Bai'at ya Ridhwani, "Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alinyoosha mkono wake wa kulia akisema, 'Huu ni mkono wa Uthman.' Kisha akaupiga mkono wake mwingine nao akisema, 'Bai'at hii (ya utii) ni kwa niaba ya Uthman.'" (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

When `Uthman Ibn 'Affan went to Mecca prior the Pledge of Ar-Ridwan, "Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) held out his right hand saying, 'This is 'Uthman's hand.’ He stroke his (other) hand with it saying, 'This (pledge of allegiance) is on the behalf of `Uthman.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Anasema: "Yeyote atakayechimba kisima cha Rumah, ataingia Peponi" kisha 'Uthman akakichimba. Kisha, ﷺ

He (Peace be upon him) says: "Whosoever digs the well of Rumah, he will enter Paradise" then 'Uthman dug it. Then, he (Peace be upon him)

"Yeyote atakayeandaa mahitaji ya Jeshi la Al-'Usrah (Vita vya Tabuk), ataingia Peponi." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

said: "Whosoever makes provisions for the Army of Al'Usrah (the Battle of Tabuk), he will enter Paradise.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema: "Je, mimi sipaswi kuona haya mbele ya yule ambaye Malaika wanamwonea haya?" (Sahih Muslim)

Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "Shouldn't I become shy of the one of whom the Angels became shy.” (Sahih Muslim)

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alimwambia 'Ali Ibn Abu Talib, "Wewe ni (sehemu) yangu, nami ni (sehemu) yako." (Hadith Sahihi)

Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) said to 'Ali Ibn Abu Talib, "You are (a part) from me, and I am (a part) from you.” (An Authentic Hadith)

Mtume (ﷺ) alituarifu kwamba Ali Ibn Abu Talib anampenda Allah na Mtume Wake, na kwamba anapendwa na Allah na Mtume Wake. Mtume ﷺ anasema: "Yeyote ambaye mimi ni bwana wake, Ali ni bwana wake." (Ahmad na At-Tirmidhi)

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) informed us that `Ali Ibn Abu Talib loves Allah and His Messenger, and that he is loved by Allah and His Messenger Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "Whom so ever I am his master, 'Ali is his master.” (Ahmed and At-Tirmidhi)

Mtume (Amani iwe juu yake) amesema: "Je, hamridhiki kuwa kwangu mimi ni kama alivyokuwa Harun kwa Musa, isipokuwa tu kwamba hapatakuwa na Nabii baada yangu?" (Bukhari na Muslim)

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there would be no Prophet after me.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ anasema: "Watu kumi wataingia Peponi: Mtume ﷺ ataingia Peponi, Abu Bakr ataingia Peponi, 'Umar ataingia Peponi, 'Uthman ataingia Peponi, 'Ali ataingia Peponi, Talha ataingia Peponi, Az-Zubair Ibn Al-'Awwam ataingia Peponi, Sa'd Ibn Malik ataingia Peponi, na `Abdur-Rahman Ibn 'Auf ataingia Peponi." (Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi na Abu Dawud) Sa'id Ibn Zaid alisema: 'Ukitaka, ningemtaja wa kumi, yaani mwenyewe.' Allah awe radhi nao wote! Mtume wa Allah ﷺ anasema: "Aliye mwenye huruma zaidi miongoni mwa Ummah wangu kwa Ummah wangu ni Abu Bakr, mwenye msimamo mkali zaidi (katika haki)

Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "Ten (persons) will enter Paradise: the Prophet will enter Paradise, Abu Bakr will enter Paradise, 'Umar will enter Paradise, 'Uthman will enter Paradise, 'Ali will enter Paradise, Talha will enter Paradise, AzZubair Ibn Al-'Awwam will enter Paradise, Sa'd Ibn Malik will enter Paradise, and `Abdur-Rahman Ibn 'Auf will enter Paradise.” (Ahmed, At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud) Sa'id Ibn Zaid said: 'If you wish, I would name the tenth, i.e. himself.' May Allah be pleased with them all! Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) says: "The most merciful among my Ummah towards my Ummah is Abu Bakr, the severest (in rights)

Kuhusu dini ya Allah, 'Umar ndiye mwenye ufahamu zaidi; aliyekuwa mnyenyekevu zaidi ni 'Uthman; mwenye ujuzi zaidi wa yaliyo halali na haramu ni Mu'adh Ibn Jabal; msomaji bora wa Kitabu cha Allah ni Ubaiy; mwenye ujuzi zaidi wa sheria za mirathi ni Zaid Ibn Thabit; na kila Ummah una mwaminifu wake, na mwaminifu wa Ummah huu ni Abu 'Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarrah.” (At-Tirmidhi, Ahmad na Ibn Hibban)

pertaining to Allah's Religion is 'Umar, the most modest is 'Uthman, the most knowledgeable about what is lawful and unlawful is Mu'adh Ibn Jabal, the best reciter of Allah's Book is Ubaiy, the most knowledgeable about the laws of inheritance is Zaid Ibn Thabit, and for each Ummah there is a trustee, and the trustee of this Ummah is Abu`Ubaidah Ibn AlJarrah.”(At- Tirmidhi, Ahmed and Ibn Hibban)

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema kuhusu Al-Hasan na Al-Husain kwamba wote wawili ni mabwana wa vijana wa watu wa Peponi, na kwamba wao ni mimea yake miwili yenye harufu nzuri. (Imenukuliwa kutoka Sahihi ya Bukhari)

Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said pertaining to Al-Hasan and Al-Husain that both are masters of the young men from the residents of Paradise and that they are his two basils. (Quoted from Sahih Bukhari)

Yeye (Amani iwe juu yake) anasema: "Ee Allah! Mimi nawapenda, basi (tafadhali) nawe waoneshe upendo." Hmm, correction: following the rules, the written-out honorific "(Peace be upon him)" is replaced by ﷺ once after the mention of the Prophet. Yeye ﷺ anasema: "Ee Allah! Mimi nawapenda, basi (tafadhali) wapende nao." (Bukhari na Muslim)

He (Peace be upon him) says: "O Allah! I love them, so (please) love them." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Siku moja Mtume ﷺ alimtoa Al-Hasan na kumpanda naye juu ya mimbari, kisha akasema: "Mwanangu huyu ni Sayid (yaani kiongozi), na natumaini kwamba Allah atamsaidia kuleta upatanisho kati ya makundi mawili ya Waislamu." (Sahih Bukhari)

Once the Prophet brought out Al-Hasan and took him up the pulpit along with him and said: "This son of mine is a Sayid (i.e. chief) and I hope that Allah will help him bring about reconciliation between two Muslim groups.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Alisema ﷺ kuhusu mama yao, Fatimah, kwamba yeye ni "Bibi wa wanawake wote wa Peponi." (Bukhari na Muslim)

He (Peace be upon him) said regarding their mother, Fatimah that she is "The mistress of all the ladies of Paradise." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Hata hivyo, sifa na fadhila za masahaba wa Mtume ﷺ ni nyingi mno. Kuthibitisha fadhila kwa mmoja wao hakumaanishi kwamba yeye yuko juu zaidi ya wote katika kila jambo, isipokuwa Makhalifa Waongofu wanne. Watatu wa kwanza wamethibitishwa kwa Hadith iliyotajwa hapo awali na kupokewa na Ibn 'Umar. Kuhusu 'Ali Ibn Abu Talib, wanazuoni wa Sunni wa zamani walikubaliana kwa pamoja kwamba yeye ndiye wa nne baada yao miongoni mwa viumbe bora duniani.

However, countless are the merits and virtues of the companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). Affirming a virtue to any of them does not necessitate that he is far and above them all in every aspect save the four Rightly-guided Caliphs. The first three are due to the Hadith mentioned earlier and narrated by Ibn 'Umar. As for `Ali Ibn Abu Talib, the earlier Sunni scholars unanimously agreed upon that he was the fourth after them as the best creatures on earth.