We used to say in the times of the Prophet (ﷺ): We do not compare anyone with Abu Bakr. ’Umar came next and then ‘Uthman. We then would leave (rest of) the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) without treating any as superior to other.
Call yourselves by my name, but do not use my KUNYAH (surname). Abu Dawud said : Abu Salih has transmitted it in a similar way from Abu Hurairah, and similar are the traditions of Abu Sufyan from Jabir, of Salim b. Abl al-Ja’d from Jabir, of Sulaiman al-Yashkuri from Jabir, and of Ibn al-Munkadir from Jabir and similar others and Anas b. Malik.