Message to the Shia - The Companions, Their Ranks of Superiority

[ummahboard.com]

أفضل الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم أبو بكر يليه عمر فعثمان فعلي ، وتفضيل أبي بكر وعمر على الصحابة متواتر ولم يخالف فيه إلا الروافض وأشباههم

The best of the Companions (may Allaah be pleased with them all) is Abu Bakr followed by Umar and then Uthmaan and finally Ali.

The superiority of Abu Bakr and Umar over all of the other Companions is Mutawaatir [established by evidence so numerous that it is not possible for it to be wrong] and no one has opposed in this matter except for the Rawaafid and their [sick] likes

وتقديم عثمان على علي رضي الله عنهما هو مذهب أهل السنة ، فقد جاء عن علي رضي الله عنه نفسه أنه قال : " خير الناس بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : أبو بكر ثم عمر ولو شئت لسميت الثالث "

And to say that Uthmaan is better than Ali (may Allah be pleased with both of them) is the Madhab of Ahl al-Sunnah.

Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) has himself said:

The best after the Messenger of Allah () is Abu Bakr, then Umar and if you wish I can name the third.

http://ummahboard.com/showthread.php?1906-Deviation-Message-to-the-Shia-The-Companions-Their-Ranks-of-Superiority