“Its chain is ḥasan, its transmitters are trustworthy, and Yaʿqūb is a point of disagreement.”

I say: Even if Yaʿqūb had been the sole narrator, the report would still be ḥasan, just as he observed; but Ibn Mājah transmits it from him in conjunction with Ḥarmalah ibn Yaḥyā—who is reliable—so the isnād rises to the level of ṣaḥīḥ.

He also cited the ḥadith of Muʿāwiyah ibn Qurrah from his father, who said: “In the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ we were forbidden to form rows between the pillars, and we were driven away from them.” Ibn Mājah relates it, and in its chain there is an unknown man.

I say: He lifted that judgment from Nayl al-Aṭār by al-Shawkānī, 3/163, whose full wording is: “as Abū Ḥātim said,” meaning Hārūn ibn Muslim.

I respond: Abū Ḥātim said what he said only because he knew of no transmitter from Hārūn other than ʿUmar ibn Sinān al-Ṣughdī, and for that reason mentioned no one else. In actuality, however, three trustworthy narrators also reported from him, and all three conveyed this very ḥadith.

Abū Dāwūd al-Ṭayālisī stated in his Musnad 1073: “Hārūn Abū Muslim narrated to us, saying: Qatādah narrated to us from Muʿāwiyah ibn Qurrah …”

Through al-Ṭayālisī’s route it was also recorded by al-Dūlābī in al-Kunā 2/113 and by al-Bayhaqī 3/104.

Ibn Mājah likewise transmitted it but paired Hārūn with a second trustworthy narrator; he said in his Sunan 1002: “Zayd ibn Akhzam Abū Ṭālib narrated to us; Abū Dāwūd and Abū Qutaybah both said: Hārūn ibn Muslim narrated to us …”

Abū Qutaybah’s personal name is Salm ibn Qutaybah. Ibn Khuzaymah also transmitted the report from him, but paired him with a third trustworthy narrator; he said in his Ṣaḥīḥ 1567: “Yahyā ibn Ḥakīm narrated to us: Abū Qutaybah narrated to us …”