His statement under the heading “Fasting in the Sacred Months” reads: “A man from the tribe of Bahilah came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I am the man who came to you last year.’ He replied, ‘…Fast during the Sacred Months and leave off.’ Reported by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, and al-Bayhaqī with a good chain.”

I say: The chain is by no means good, for its transmitter wavered over it in several forms that al-Ḥāfiẓ records in al-Tahdhīb and, before him, al-Mundhirī in Mukhtaṣar al-Sunan, who then remarked, “As you can see, this variation has occurred, and some of our teachers have therefore graded it weak—and that is justified.”

I further add: it has another defect, namely an unknown narrator, as I clarified in Ḍaʿīf Abī Dāwūd, p. 419.

His statement under the heading “Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays” reads: “From Abū Hurayrah: The Prophet ﷺ most often fasted on Mondays and Thursdays. When he was asked about it he said, ‘Deeds are presented every Monday and Thursday…’ Reported by Aḥmad with a sound chain.”

I say: The ḥadith itself is authentic, yet the chain cited by Aḥmad is not. He recorded it, 2/329, and so did al-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah, all through the route of Muḥammad ibn Rifāʿah—from Suhayl ibn Abī Ṣāliḥ—from his father—from Abū Hurayrah.

Regarding Muḥammad ibn Rifāʿah, al-Azdī said, “His ḥadith is rejected.” Ibn Ḥibbān, however, listed him in al-Thiqqāt according to his familiar approach, and Ibn Ḥajar therefore noted in al-Taqrīb that he is “soft in ḥadith.” Hence, anyone who has authenticated this chain or declared this transmitter reliable has only