Bakr al-Sahami narrated to us: Yazīd ibn ʿAwānah related, from Muḥammad ibn Dhakwān—the maternal uncle of Ḥammād ibn Zayd—from ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, from Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
“We were sitting in the Prophet’s courtyard, blessings and peace be upon him, when a woman passed by. Some of those present remarked, ‘This is the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him.’ Abu Sufyān then said, ‘The likeness of Muhammad among the Banū Hāshim is that of a sprig of sweet basil in the midst of stench.’
“The woman went off and informed the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him. He came, visibly angry, and said, ‘What is the matter with words that reach me from certain people? Indeed, Allah created seven heavens, chose the highest among them, and lodged therein whom He willed from His creation. Then He created all creatures and chose…’
(1) In MS T: ibn Abi Bakr. The reading adopted here is the correct one.
(2) This refers to ʿAbd Allah ibn Bakr ibn Habib al-Sahmi al-Bahili, Abu Wahb, a Basran who later settled in Baghdad; reliable, a memoriser, belonging to the ninth generation. All six canonical compilers transmitted from him. He died in 208 AH. See: Taqrib al-Tahdhib 1:404, no. 210.
(3) Namely, Yazid ibn ʿAwana al-Kalbi. Lisan al-Mizan reports: “Yazid ibn ʿAwana al-Kalbi, from Muhammad ibn Dhakwan; al-ʿUqayli said: ‘He has no corroborating transmitters.’” Ibn Abi Hatim listed him in al-Jarh wa-l-Taʿdil and remained silent about him. See: Lisan al-Mizan 6:292, no. 1042; al-Jarh wa-l-Taʿdil 9:283, no. 1196.
(4) That is, Muhammad ibn Dhakwan al-Azdi al-Jahdami— their client— a Basran known as the maternal uncle of the children of Hammad ibn Zayd. Taqrib al-Tahdhib states: “Weak, seventh generation.” See: Taqrib al-Tahdhib 2:160, no. 203 m.
(5) The word “children” dropped out of the printed edition, leaving: “maternal uncle of Hammad ibn Zayd.” The wording restored here is correct; see the previous source.
(6) In MS T: ibn Yazid. The correct reading is Hammad ibn Zayd ibn Dirham al-Azdi al-Jahdami, Abu Ismail, a Basran jurist; reliable and firmly authenticated. All six canonical compilers narrated from him. He died in 179 AH at the age of eighty-one. See: Taqrib al-Tahdhib 1:197, no. 541 h.
(7) In MS T: idh marrat bihi (“when it passed by him”).
(8) In MSS A and T: fa-akhbara al-nabi salla Allahu ʿalayhi wa-ʿala alihi wa-sallam (“so he informed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family”).
(9) The printed edition reads: al-ʿulya (“upper”).