Then I Will Give The Punishment Of A Slanderer!

Ibn-e-‘Asakir رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہ has narrated from ‘Abdur Ra_man Ibn-e- Abi Laila رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہ that Sayyiduna Ali کَرَّمَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی وَجْھَہُ الْکَرِیْم has stated, ‘Whoever says that I am more highly ranked than Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ I will give him the punishment of a Muftari [slanderer].’

(Tarikh-e-Dimishq la Ibn-e-‘Asakir, Vol. 30, p. 383)