Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3666
جامع الترمذي#3666Sahihحَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ ذَكَرَ دَاوُدُ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ سَيِّدَا كُهُولِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ وَالآخِرِينَ مَا خَلاَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ لاَ تُخْبِرْهُمَا يَا عَلِيُّ " .
Narrated 'Ali:that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Abu Bakr and 'Umar are the masters of the elder people among the inhabitants of Paradise, from the first ones and the last ones, not including the Prophets and the Messengers. Do not inform them O 'Ali
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
In-book reference: 49:62