Harmalah transmitted: Ibn Wahb narrated to us; Usamah informed me; from ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “The likeness of the one who takes back what he has given is that of a dog which vomits (1).”

I have several other reports—besides those already cited—that read: “from his father, from ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr.” Hence every unqualified wording is to be interpreted in the light of the qualified form that explicitly names ʿAbd Allah—and Allah knows best.

Ibn ʿAdī said: “He is reliable in himself, except when he narrates ‘from his father, from his grandfather,’ for in his usage the grandfather is Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr, who was not a Companion; therefore the report is mursal.”

I reply: The man intends by “his grandfather” none other than his fore-grandfather ʿAbd Allah—may Allah be pleased with him—and this is stated explicitly in other narrations where he says: “from his grandfather ʿAbd Allah.” Such a report is not mursal.

It is established that Shuʿayb—and his father—heard directly from their grandfather ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr, as well as from Muʿāwiyah, Ibn ʿAbbās, Ibn ʿUmar, and others. We know of no fault in Shuʿayb: he was raised an orphan in the care of his grandfather ʿAbd Allah, heard from him, travelled with him, and was probably born during the caliphate of ʿAlī, or even earlier.

We have found no explicit isnād in which ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb says, “from his father, from his grandfather Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allah, from the Prophet ﷺ.” Rather, about ten traditions exist whose formula is: “ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr,” and some read: “ʿAmr, from his father, from his grandfather ʿAbd Allah.” I do not know whether Shuʿayb preserved anything from his own father or not; what is certain is that he kept close company with his grandfather and heard from him.