I asked Ayesha, "Which of his companions was most beloved to him?"She replied, "Abu Bakr."I asked, "Then who?"She said, "Umar."I asked, "Then who?"She said, "Abu Ubayda."
حدثنا علي بن محمد حدثنا أبو أسامة أخبرني الجريري
قلت لعائشة أي أصحابه كان أحب إليه قالت أبو بكر قلت ثم أيهم قالت عمر قلت ثم أيهم قالت أبو عبيدة
[Its isnad is sahih] Reported by Tirmidhi, Chapters on Virtues, chapter on the virtues of Abu Bakr Siddiq etc., no. 3657, from the hadith of Jareeri, and he said, hasan sahih. Jareeri narrated it before his confusion in old age set in, and a group of narrators reported it from him.