The report was recorded by Abu Dawud and al-Nasaʾi—the first of the additional wordings belongs to al-Nasaʾi—and by Ahmad, through al-Layth ibn Saʿd, from Saʿid ibn Abi Saʿid, from ʿAmr ibn Salim al-Zuraqi, from Abu Qatadah. This chain is sound according to the criteria of the two Imams (al-Bukhari and Muslim). The two of them also transmitted it through Saʿid ibn Abi Saʿid, from ʿAmr ibn Salim al-Zuraqi, from Abu Qatadah—another chain that likewise satisfies their standards. They, and others besides, have related it from ʿAmr in abridged form; its documentation has already been cited in the place indicated in the main text. The second additional wording is found only in Abu Dawud and Ahmad, while the third and fourth belong to Ahmad alone.

Al-Nasaʾi entitled the report exactly as we have done: “Bringing Children into the Mosques.” Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar points this out in Fath al-Bari, saying, “It is taken as evidence for the permissibility of bringing children into the mosques.” Badr al-Din al-ʿAyni likewise remarks in al-ʿUmda, “Among the benefits of this hadith is the permissibility of admitting small children into the mosques.”

b) Abu Bakrah al-Thaqafi reported:

“The Prophet ﷺ would lead the people in prayer, and whenever he went into prostration al-Hasan would leap onto his back and shoulders. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would raise him off gently so that he would not fall, and he did this more than once. When he finished the prayer he embraced him and kissed him. The Companions said, ‘Messenger of Allah, we have seen you do with al-Hasan something we have never seen you do with anyone else.’ He answered, ‘He is one of my two fragrant flowers in this world, and this son of mine is a leader; it may be that Allah…’”}