and (The Prostration), (Sād), and (the prostration passage in the surahs beginning with Hā Mīm).” Abū Dāwūd (1) said: “Eleven prostrations are reported from Abū al-Dardā’ on the authority of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but the chain of transmission is very weak.”
As for Ibn ‘Abbās’s report that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) “did not prostrate in the mufassal after moving to Medina,” related by Abū Dāwūd (2)—it is (3) a weak hadith. Its chain includes Abū Qudāma al-Hārith ibn ‘Ubayd, whose hadith cannot be relied upon as evidence. Imam Ahmad said: “Abū Qudāma is inconsistent in his narration.” Yahyā ibn Ma‘īn said: “Weak.” Al-Nasā’ī (4) said: “Truthful, but he narrates some unacceptable reports.” Abū Hātim al-Bustī said: “He was a righteous elder who frequently erred.” Ibn al-Qattān (5) attributed the report’s weakness to Matar al-Warrāq, saying: “In his poor memory, he resembled (6) Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn Abī Laylā. Muslim was criticized for including his hadith.” End of his statement.
(1) In al-Sunan, immediately after no. 1401.
(2) No. 1403. Also transmitted from Ibn ‘Abbās by Ibn Khuzayma (560), al-Tabarānī (11/334), al-Bayhaqī (2/312–313), and Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhīd (19/120). Its chain includes Abū Qudāma al-Hārith ibn ‘Ubayd, who has some weakness as a narrator, and Matar al-Warrāq. Al-Dhahabī said in al-Mīzān (1/440): “Matar has a poor memory, and this report is objectionable: it is authentically established that Abū Hurayra prostrated with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during Idhā al-samā’ inshaqqat (When the Sky Is Split Open), although he embraced Islam late.” Ibn Khuzayma identified a defect in the report on similar grounds. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Bayhaqī (2/313), and Ibn al-Jawzī in al-‘Ilal al-mutanāhiya (752) likewise judged it weak.
(3) ق، م، مب، ن: “wa-huwa” (“and it is”).
(4) This is the reading in all the manuscripts and printed editions. The correct name, however, is al-Sājī, as found in Ibn al-Qattān’s Bayān al-wahm wa-l-īhām, from which the author quoted the statements of al-Sājī and others.
(5) In Bayān al-wahm wa-l-īhām (3/393–394).
(6) ق، م، ن: “yashbahuhu” (“he resembled him”); مب: “wa-qad kāna yashbahuhu” (“and he used to resemble him”). Ibn al-Qattān’s book has the reading adopted here from the other manuscripts.