Based on my research, I found it interesting that a big portion of the narrations of praise for Hazrat Abu Bakr and `Umar come from none other than `Ali ibn abi Talib may Allah be pleased with him. This I guess is one of the reasons why the majority of `Ali’s (ra) followers, or should I say true followers are Ahlul-Sunnah. We follow `Ali (ra) by believing in the superiority of the Shaykhayn and praising them.
While browsing through the popular classical book Fada’il Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq by abu Talib Muhammad ibn `Ali al-`Ushari, I came across this narration on pg.51:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمِصْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الرَّازِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنْ قَيْسٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: وَهَلْ أَنَا إِلا حَسَنَةٌ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا
`Ali is al-Daraqutni and he is a Thiqah Imam ->`Ali bin Muhammad abu al-Hasan al-Masri is Thiqah Ameen ->`Ali bin Sa`eed abu al-Hasan al-Razi is Thiqah -> Hannad bin al-Sarriy al-Kufi Imam Thiqah Qudwah -> Muhammad ibn Fudayl al-Kufi is Thiqah Shi`ee -> Isma`eel ibn abi Khalid al-Kufi is Thiqah Thabt -> Qays ibn abi Hazim al-Kufi is Thiqah.
From `Ali ibn abi Talib (ra) that he said: [Am I anything other than a part of the goodness of Abu Bakr.]
`Ali (ra) is saying that his goodness is only a part of the goodness of Abu Bakr (ra), this shows the superiority of the successor of Rasul-Allah (saws).
Salam ‘alaykoum. Soubhana l-Lâh it’s beautiful … Can you tell me who is the scholar who say that the rapporteurs are Thiqah ? Barak Allâh fikoum
The scholar is al-Hakim in his Mustadrak.