I say: For that reason al-Bukhārī declined to include his reports in the Ṣaḥīḥ, although he did cite one of them in a suspended form as corroborative evidence.

Now, the compilation that runs: “Simak ibn Harb—from ʿIkrimah—from Ibn ʿAbbās” comprises a number of ḥadiths. It satisfies neither Muslim’s criterion, for he avoided ʿIkrimah, nor Bukhārī’s, for he avoided Simak; hence it should not be deemed sound, for Simak was criticized precisely on account of this collection.

Jarīr ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd said: “I went to Simak ibn Harb and found him urinating while standing, so I turned back and did not question him (1), saying, ‘He has become senile.’”

Jannād al-Muktib said: “We used to visit Simak to ask him about poetry, and the ḥadith scholars would come as well. He would turn to us and say, ‘Ask away, for these people are a burden.’”

Muʾammal ibn Ismāʿīl transmitted from Ḥammād ibn Salamah that he heard Simak say:
“My sight was gone, and I saw Abraham the Friend—peace be upon him—in a dream. I said, ‘My sight has gone.’
He replied, ‘Go down into the Euphrates, plunge your head in, open your eyes, and ask Allah to restore your sight.’
So I did that, and Allah restored my vision.”

Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Nasāʾī said: “When Simak is the sole transmitter of a foundational report, it carries no weight, because he was coached and would accept coaching.”

Ḥajjāj narrated from Shuʿbah, who said: “They used to say to Simak, ‘ʿIkrimah from Ibn ʿAbbās,’ and he would respond, ‘Yes.’ As for me, I was not the one coaching him.”

Qatādah narrated from Abū al-Aswad, who said: “If you wish your companion to lie, then coach him.”

Another remarked: “Simak ibn Harb was eloquent and articulate; his clarity and fluency adorned the ḥadith.”

Abū al-Ḥusayn ibn Qāniʿ said: “He died in 123 AH.”

I say: What