As for al-Bazzār, he is deemed abandoned in ḥadīth transmission, notwithstanding his mastery of Qur’anic recitation. If the chain indeed passes through him, the isnād is therefore weak. In either case, he is not the sole transmitter, for the report was also narrated by Abū Kuraib, who said: “ʿUthmān ibn Saʿīd narrated to us; ʿUmar—Abū Ḥafṣ—narrated to us from Qays ibn Muslim,” with the same wording.

Ibn al-Sunnī and al-Ṭabarānī both recorded it. Al-Ṭabarānī, in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr, begins, “Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥaḍramī narrated to us,” whereas Ibn al-Sunnī says, “Muḥammad ibn Jarīr informed us.” They then agree in continuing, “Abū Kuraib narrated to us,” and so on.

The first additional phrase is found in al-Ṭabarānī’s version, the second in that of Ibn al-Sunnī—and al-Ṭaḥāwī likewise records it—with the wording: “Intercession from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will certainly become due to him.” Ibn al-Sunnī also has: “and place him among the Illiyyīn,” instead of “and place him among the highest ranks,” while al-Ṭaḥāwī’s wording is: “and place him among the highest ranks.”

This chain as well is sound.

Abū Ḥafṣ here is ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Qays al-Abbār al-Kūfī, who later settled in Baghdad; he is truthful (ṣadūq) and a memoriser, as stated in al-Taqrīb. The other transmitters in the isnād are reliable and occur in the Six Books, with the exception of ʿUthmān ibn Saʿīd—the Kūfan oil-seller and physician—about whom Abū Ḥātim said, and al-Ḥāfiẓ (Ibn Ḥajar) followed him in al-Taqrīb: “there is no harm in him.”

Al-Haythamī cites the ḥadīth in Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid through al-Ṭabarānī’s narration in al-Kabīr and remarks: