Full Sharh — Musnad Ahmad 979
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْد اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَحْرٍ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ الْبَصْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ خَيْرٍ، قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ لَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ إِنَّ خَيْرَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَبَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عُمَرُ وَأَحْدَثْنَا أَحْدَاثًا يَصْنَعُ اللَّهُ فِيهَا مَا شَاءَ.
English Translation
It was narrated that ‘Abd Khair said:: ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) said, when he finished with the people of Basrah: The best of this ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, and after Abu Bakr it is ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما), then we got involved in matters which Allah will judge as He wills.
Source
Musnad Ahmad(مسند أحمد)
Musnad 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib
Hadith Number
979