“If he cannot find anything, let him do like this.” Al-Qāsim then demonstrated by spitting into his garment and rubbing one part of it against another.

Muslim, Ibn Mājah, and Aḥmad all recorded this wording.

It was also transmitted by Muslim, al-Nasāʾī, Aḥmad, and likewise al-Bayhaqī through the route of Shuʿbah from al-Qāsim with similar phrasing. Muslim and al-Bayhaqī further related—through Hishīm’s report from al-Qāsim—that Abū Hurayrah said:

“It is as though I can see the Messenger of Allah ﷺ folding one part of his cloak over another.”

Note: This al-Qāsim ibn Mihrān is al-Qaysī, their client. He is reliable; Ibn Maʿīn and others declared him trustworthy. Al-Mundhirī, however, confused him with someone else when he said in al-Targhīb:

“Ibn Mājah narrates from al-Qāsim ibn Mihrān—who is unknown—from Abū Rāfiʿ, from Abū Hurayrah.”

I say: He then cited the ḥadīth. The “unknown” al-Qāsim ibn Mihrān is different from the one who transmits this report from Abū Rāfiʿ. The earlier al-Qāsim narrated from ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn—though his direct hearing from him is unproven—and from Mūsā ibn ʿUbaydah. Al-Dhahabī and others have distinguished between the two. Moreover, attributing the ḥadīth to Ibn Mājah alone is plainly insufficient. Glorified is He from whom nothing is concealed.

The second transmitter: Anas ibn Mālik.

Two routes go back to him: