Those who narrated from him included Ibn Bukayr, Manṣūr ibn Salamah, and Yūnus ibn Muḥammad, all of whom heard directly from him; the ‘ʿAbd Allāh’ mentioned is the brother of al-Zuhrī.
ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam said, “We were in al-Layth’s gathering when the subject of lentils came up. Maslamah ibn ʿAlī remarked, ‘Seventy prophets blessed them.’ When al-Layth completed his prayer he said, ‘Not even one prophet did so; they are cold and harmful.’ (1)
ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz al-Darāwardī said, “I saw al-Layth, and Rabiʿah and Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd would respectfully move aside to make room for him.”
Saʿīd al-Ādam reported that al-ʿAlāʾ ibn Kathīr said, “Al-Layth ibn Saʿd is our master, our imām, and our scholar.”
Ibn Saʿd said, “In his time al-Layth stood alone in issuing legal verdicts (fatwas).”
Yaḥyā ibn Bukayr and Saʿīd ibn Abī Maryam stated, “Al-Layth died in the middle of Shaʿbān, in the year 175 AH.”
Yaḥyā added, “It was on a Friday, and the funeral prayer over him was led by …”
= Al-Layth includes it. Ahmad also recorded it (3/236), as did Ibn Jarir (30/324), through the chain of al-Zuhri, from his brother Abd Allah, from Anas: a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about al-Kawthar… and the Prophet gave the answer. Al-Tirmidhi transmitted it as well (2542) through Abd b. Humayd, from Abd Allah b. Maslama, from Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. Muslim, from his father, from Anas.
(1) Al-Khatib relates in the biography of Salam b. Salim (Tarikh, 9/143) that Ibn al-Mubarak was asked about the report claiming that lentils were sanctified on the tongues of seventy prophets. He replied: “Not even on the tongue of a single prophet! Lentils are harmful and cause flatulence. Who is narrating this to you?” They said, “Salam b. Salim.” He asked, “From whom?” They said, “From you.” He retorted, “From me as well?!”
I add: The author lists this same Salam b. Salim in al-Mizan and quotes the verdicts of Ibn Main, Ahmad, Abu Zur‘a, Ibn Abi Hatim, al-Nasai, Ibn al-Mubarak and others, all declaring him weak. Ibn al-Qayyim also placed the hadith in his al-Manar al-Munif (no. 51) among the fabricated reports whose falsehood is evident to common sense, remarking that it was probably forged by people who preferred lentils to manna and quails or by those of similar inclination.