The hadith has equally been transmitted from other Sahabah, apart from Anas.

The hadith has equally been transmitted from other Sahabah, apart from Anas. Imam al-Haythami for instance records: عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : أرحم أمتي بأمتي أبو بكر وأرفق أمتي لأمتي عمر وأصدق أمتي حياء عثمان وأقضى أمتي علي بن أبي طالب Narrated Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari : The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The most merciful of my Ummah to my Ummah is Abu Bakr. The kindest of my Ummah to my Ummah is ‘Umar.

The most shy of my Ummah is ‘Uthman. The best judge of my Ummah is ‘Ali b. Abi Talib ”.[^12] He comments: رواه الطبراني في الأوسط وإسناده حسن Al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Awsaṭ , and its chain is hasan . ^13 In modern prints of Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ of Imam al-Tabarani (d. 360 H), this hadith , unfortunately, is no longer present! The previous existence of this report in al-Awsat is further confirmed by Imam al-Haytami (d. 974 H): و في رواية الطبراني في الأوسط أرحم أمتي بأمتي أبو بكر وأرفق أمتي لأم