Who Is The Most Highly Ranked?

On page 38-39 of ‘Savanih Karbala’, [the 92-page publication of Maktabah-tul-Madinah, the publishing house of Dawat-e-Islami] it is stated: ‘It is the Ijma’ [consensus] of the Ahl-us-Sunnah that, leaving the Prophets عَلَیْھِمْ السَّلَام Sayyiduna Abu Bakr is the most highly-ranked and supreme personality of the entire universe, followed by Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, Sayyiduna ‘Ušman رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ Sayyiduna ‘Ali کَرَّمَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی وَجْھَہُ الْکَرِیْم and then the rest of the ‘Asharah Mubasharah [the ten companions who were heralded for entry into Paradise].

After this come the rest of Ahl-e-Badr [the companions who fought at Badr], then Ahl-e-U_ud [the companions who fought at Uhud], then the rest of the Ahl-e-Bayt-e-Ri_wan [those who made the pledge of allegiance to the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم ] and then the remainder of the Sahabah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ This Ijma’ [consensus] has been quoted by Sayyiduna Abu Mansur Baghdadi عَلَیْہِ رَحمَۃُ اللہِ الْھَادِی. Ibn-e-‘Asakir رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہ has reported that Sayyiduna Ibn-e-‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘We would attribute Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna ‘Umar, Sayyiduna ‘Ušman, Sayyiduna ‘Ali رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ with excellence and high rank in the state that the Blessed Prophet  صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم was among us.’

(Ibn-e-Asakir, Vol. 30, p. 346)

Imam Ahmad رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہ and other scholars have narrated from Sayyiduna ‘Ali کَرَّمَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی وَجْھَہُ الْکَرِیْم that he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘After the Noble Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم Abu Bakr and ‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ are the best of this Ummat.’

(Ibn-e-‘Asakir, Vol. 30, p. 351)

Zahabi رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہ stated that this narration of Sayyiduna ‘Ali کَرَّمَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی وَجْھَہُ الْکَرِیْم is Batawatur [having multiple transmissions].

(Tarikh-ul-Khulafa, p. 34)