the report transmitted by Sufyān ibn Ḥusayn from al-Zuhrī, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, from Abū Hurayrah, from the Prophet ﷺ—“Whoever puts a horse between two horses…”? He replied, “It is false and a mistaken attribution to Abū Hurayrah.”
Abu Dawud said in his Sunan (1), after citing the tradition: “It was also related by Maʿmar, Shuʿayb, and ʿUqayl from al-Zuhrī on the authority of a number of scholars who said, ‘Whoever introduces a horse…’; and this is, in our view, the sounder version.”
These are Abu Dawud’s own words, so it is improper for anyone who references the ḥadith from the Sunan to content himself with the bare remark, “Reported by Abu Dawud,” while remaining silent about Abu Dawud’s critical comment on it (2)!
It was likewise narrated by Mālik in the Muwaṭṭaʾ (3): “from Ibn Shihāb (4), from Saʿīd ibn…"
(1) After hadith no. 2580.
(2) From ms. (Mat).
(3) Hadith no. 1343, Dar al-Gharb edition.
(4) This is how all extant copies read, whereas the version in the Muwatta has “Yahya ibn Saʿid,” meaning the Ansari, in place of “Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri.” The same wording is reported from Malik by Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi and Abu Musab al-Zuhri (no. 900), and by Ibn Bukayr as cited by al-Bayhaqi (10/20). Ibn Hajar notes: “This is likewise the wording in the Muwatta: from al-Zuhri, from Saʿid, stated as his own opinion.” Talkhis, 4/180.
Its wording is: “There is no objection to wagering on horse races when a third, non-betting horse (*muhallil*) joins the race: if it wins, it takes the prize; if it loses, nothing is due from it.”
The report through Yahya ibn Saʿid al-Ansari is also narrated by:
1. Yahya ibn Saʿid al-Qattan, in Musaddad’s Musnad (cited in al-Matalib al-Aliya, 9/395, no. 2008);
2. Hafs ibn Ghiyath, in Ibn Abi Shayba’s Musannaf (6/531, no. 33540);
3. al-Thaqafi, in Abu Ubayda’s al-Khayl, p. 6.