Musnad Ahmad 33:704

Yazid ibn Abd Rabbih narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Harb narrated to us, al-Zubaydi narrated to me, from Ibn Shihab, from ‘Amr ibn Aban ibn ‘Uthman, from Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, that he used to narrate that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "A righteous man was shown tonight that Abu Bakr was attached to the Messenger of Allah, and ‘Umar was attached to Abu Bakr, and ‘Uthman was attached to ‘Umar." Jabir said: When we stood up from being with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), we said: As for the righteous man, it is the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). And as for what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) mentioned regarding the attachment of some of them to others, they are the guardians of this matter with which Allah sent His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).