I add: Whoever mounts an eye-catching animal and wears conspicuous clothes in order to strengthen the religion, put the hypocrites in their place, yet at the same time remains humble toward the believers and thanks the Lord of all worlds, that is praiseworthy. But whoever does so out of ostentation, pride, or boastfulness, Allah will abase him and turn away from him. If such a person is reproved and admonished but persists and claims that he is neither vain nor arrogant, then leave him alone, for he is a fool, deluded by his own self.

Abū Bishr al-Dulabī said: “Shahr’s narrations do not resemble other people’s narrations; it is as though he were forever holding the bridle of the Messenger of Allah’s she-camel.” The same remark was made by Abū Isḥāq al-Saʿdī. (1)

Al-Ṭayālisī reports: Shuʿbah narrated to us, from Abū Isḥāq, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAṭāʾ, from ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir.

Shuʿbah said: “I later met ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAṭāʾ and questioned him. He told me, ‘Ziyād ibn Mikhrāq related it to me.’ I then went to Ziyād and asked him, and he said, ‘A man from Banī Layth narrated to me, from Mujāhid, from Shahr, from the ḥadith of ʿUqbah, from ʿUmar concerning ablution.’ ”

Muʿādh ibn Muʿādh said: “I asked Ibn ʿAwn about the report of Hilāl ibn Abī Zaynab, from Shahr, from Abū Hurayrah—that the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘The earth does not even dry from the martyr’s blood before his two wives hasten to meet him.’ ”

Ibn ʿAwn replied, “What use is Shahr? Shuʿbah has already abandoned Shahr.” (2)

ʿAlī ibn Ḥafṣ al-Madāʾinī said: “I asked Shuʿbah about ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Bahrām. He said, ‘Trustworthy—except that he narrates from Shahr.’ ” (3)

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said: “The ḥadith of ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Bahrām is close to that of …”