Makḥūl also transmits from Ghuḍayf a similar report.

Ibn Abī Ḥātim said, “He was a Companion.”

My father and Abū Zurʿah added, “What is correct is that he is Ghuḍayf ibn al-Ḥārith, and he did enjoy Companionship.”

Others, however, called him al-Ḥārith ibn Ghuḍayf. (1)

Ibn Saʿd remarked, “Ghuḍayf ibn al-Ḥārith is reliable; he belongs to the first tier of the Successors among the Syrians.” (2)

Abū al-Yamān narrated from Ṣafwān ibn ʿAmr that Ghuḍayf ibn al-Ḥārith would lead them in the Friday prayer whenever Khālid ibn Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiyah was absent. (3)

Baqiyyah related from Abū Bakr ibn ʿAbd Allāh, from Ḥabīb ibn ʿUbayd, from Ghuḍayf, who said:

“ʿAbd al-Malik summoned me and said, ‘Abū Asmāʾ! We have united the people upon two practices: raising the hands on the pulpits on Friday, and giving storytelling admonitions after the dawn and afternoon prayers.’

I replied, ‘Although, in my view, these two are the best of your innovations, I will not comply with them.’

He asked, ‘Why not?’

I said, ‘Because the Prophet ﷺ declared, “Whenever a people introduce an innovation, an equivalent portion of the sunnah is taken away.”’”

Ahmad recorded this narration in the Musnad. (4)

Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Samīʿ said, “Ghuḍayf ibn al-Ḥārith al-Thumālī, of the tribe of al-Azd, was from Ḥimṣ.”

I (the author) say: He died around the year 80 AH.