He heard from: Yahya ibn Saʿid al-Qattan, Muʿadh ibn Hisham, Ibn Mahdi, ʿAbd al-Qahir ibn Shuʿayb, Saʿid ibn ʿAmir, and others of their generation.
Transmitters who related from him include: al-Bukhari, the compilers of the four Sunan, Abu ʿAruba al-Harrani, al-Baghawi, ʿAbd Allah ibn Wahb al-Dinawari, Ibn Ṣāʿid, al-Mahamili, and many others.
Al-Nasaʾi declared him trustworthy (1).
He was among those killed by the Zanj (2) and the rabble who overran Basra with the wicked rebel in 257 AH (3).
ʿAli ibn Ahmad al-ʿAlawi informed us; Ibn al-Qatiʿi informed us; Ibn al-Zaghuni informed us; Abu Nasr al-Zaynabi informed us; Abu Tahir al-Mukhlis narrated to us; Yahya ibn Muhammad narrated to us; Zayd ibn Akhzam narrated to us; ʿAbd al-Qahir ibn Shuʿayb narrated to us; Ibn ʿAwn, from Muhammad, from Abu Hurayrah, who reported that the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — said:
“A servant remains in prayer for as long as the prayer keeps him.” (4)
(1) Tarikh Baghdad 8/447 and Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 3/393. Ibn Hajar notes that Ibn Hibban listed him in al-Thiqat, describing him as an upright transmitter. Al-Daraqutni judged him reliable; Salih ibn Muhammad said he was "sound in narration"; Maslama likewise declared him trustworthy; and Abu Hatim, in al-Jarh wa-l-Ta'dil 3/557, affirmed: "reliable."
(2) Tarikh Baghdad 8/447; he was executed by slaughter.
(3) See al-Tabari 9/476, 488; Ibn al-Athir 7/241; al-Dhahabi, Duwal al-Islam 1/155.
(4) All the transmitters are reliable. Malik records the hadith (1/175, with al-Suyuti’s commentary) in Kitab Qasr al-Salat, “Chapter: Waiting for the Prayer and Walking to It.” From Malik’s route it is reported by al-Bukhari 2/119 (Book of Congregational Prayer, “Chapter: Whoever sits in the mosque waiting for the prayer”), Muslim no. 649/275 (Book of Mosques, “Chapter: The merit of congregational prayer and waiting for the prayer”), Abu Dawud 469–470, and al-Nasa’i 2/55, all through Abu’l-Zinad—al-A‘raj—Abu Hurayra: “One of you remains in a state of prayer as long as the prayer detains him; nothing prevents him from returning to his family except the prayer.” ‘Abd al-Razzaq also narrates it (2211), and through him al-Tirmidhi 330, from Ma‘mar—Hammam ibn Munabbih—Abu Hurayra; likewise ‘Abd al-Razzaq (2210) from Ma‘mar—Ayyub—Ibn Sirin—Abu Hurayra.