(1) Reported by al-Tabarani, Fadl al-Rami, no. 11; idem, Musnad al-Shamiyyin, 3/ no. 1980; and al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra, 10/272. The chain is acceptable, provided that Abu Salih had an accurate recollection of it. (2) Fadl al-Rami, no. 10; al-Qarrab, Fadl al-Rami, no. 21. The wording contains an unusual expression that will be discussed below. Abu Awana is contradicted by Zayidah, who narrates it from al-Aʿmash – from Amr b. Murrah – from Abu Ubaydah: “The Messenger of Allah said….” This is a mursal report and is recorded by al-Harith b. Abi Usamah in his Musnad (no. 2004, al-Matalib) and by Abu Nuʿaym in Sifat al-Janna, 2/ no. 233. Another variant comes from Abu Muʿawiyah and Jarir b. ʿAbd al-Hamid, who transmit it from al-Aʿmash – from Amr – from Salim b. Abi al-Jaʿd – from Shurahbil b. al-Simt – from Kaʿb b. Murrah, marfuʿ, with the wording: “Shoot, O people of skill! Whoever hits the enemy with an arrow, Allah raises him one degree.” ʿAbd al-Rahman b. Abi al-Naham asked, “Messenger of Allah, what is this degree?” He replied, “It is not like the step at your mother’s threshold; rather, between the two degrees lies a span of one hundred years.” Reported by Ahmad 4/235–236, no. 18063, and al-Bayhaqi 9/162. I (the author) say: It seems likely that al-Aʿmash preserved all of these routes; if not, then the last route is the strongest.