Arabic (Original)
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
Ali said after he finished with the people of Basrah: 'The best of this Ummah after its Prophet (peace be upon him) is Abu Bakr, and after Abu Bakr is Umar. And we have introduced new matters, about which Allah will do as He wills.'