وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
The earliest forerunners among the Emigrants and Helpers, and those who follow them with excellence—Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. (al-Tawbah 9:100)
Al-sābiqūn al-awwalūn honors those foremost in faith and support, while those who follow with excellence describes proper continuation of their path. The verse explicitly associates them with Allah’s pleasure.