Nuzhat al-Nazar fi Tawdih Nukhbat al-Fikar - Tahqiq al-Qasim - Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani - (201)

namely, that the number of transmitters in the isnad, from the narrator down to its last link, equals the number found in the isnad of one of the major compilers.
For example (1), suppose al-Nasaʾi were to relate a hadith in which (2) eleven individuals stand between him and the Prophet ﷺ. That very same report may reach us through another isnad to the Prophet ﷺ (3) in which there are likewise (4) eleven persons between us and the Prophet ﷺ (5). Thus (6) we would have (7) numerical parity with al-Nasaʾi, without taking into account any qualitative assessment of that particular isnad.

[Handshaking]
(And) included under relative elevation as well is “handshaking,” which is the attainment of such parity with that compiler’s student in the manner explained earlier. It was called handshaking (8) because people customarily shake hands when they meet, and in this scenario (9) it is as though (10) we had met al-Nasaʾi himself and, figuratively, shaken his hand.

(1) J reads “kama” (as). (2) The word “fihi” (in it) is absent from D. (3) The clause “fa-yaqaʿu lana dhalika al-hadith bi-ʿaynihi bi-isnad akhar ila al-nabi ﷺ” (that very hadith then reaches us through another isnad to the Prophet) is omitted in D. (4) The word “fihi” (in it) is not found in H, W, Z, Ṭ, or M. (5) The phrase “yaqaʿu baynana fihi wa-bayna al-nabi ﷺ” (it occurs between us, concerning it, and the Prophet) is missing from K. (6) Ṭ reads “ihda” (one), whereas K has “bi-ahad” (with one / by means of one). (7) B reads “fa-yusawi” (so it equals). (8) H and Z read “summiyat” (it has been named). (9) Y reads “fa-nahnu” (so we); a copy with a marginal note has “wa-nahnu” (and we). (10) B reads “ka-annama” (as though).

اسْتِوَاءُ عَدَدِ الإِسْنَادِ مِنَ الرَّاوِي إِلَى آخِرِهِ) أَيِ: الإِسْنَادِ (مَعَ إِسْنَادِ أَحَدِ المُصَنِّفِينَ). كَأَنْ (١) يَرْوِيَ النَّسَائِيُّ - مَثَلاً - حَدِيثاً يَقَعُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِيهِ (٢) أَحَدَ عَشَرَ نَفْساً، فَيَقَعُ لَنَا ذَلِكَ الحَدِيثُ بِعَيْنِهِ بِإِسْنَادٍ آخَرَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ (٣)؛ يَقَعُ بَيْنَنَا فِيهِ (٤) وَبَيْنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ (٥) أَحَدَ (٦) عَشَرَ نَفْساً، فَنُسَاوِي (٧) النَّسَائِيَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ العَدَدُ، مَعَ قَطْعِ النَّظَرِ عَنْ مُلَاحَظَةِ ذَلِكَ الإِسْنَادِ الخَاصِّ. [المصافحة] (وَ) فِيهِ؛ أَيِ: العُلُوِّ النِّسْبِيِّ أَيْضاً (المُصَافَحَةُ؛ وَهِيَ: الِاسْتِوَاءُ مَعَ تِلْمِيذِ ذَلِكَ المُصَنِّفِ) عَلَى الوَجْهِ المَشْرُوحِ أَوَّلاً. وَسُمِّيَتْ (٨) مُصَافَحَةً لِأَنَّ العَادَةَ جَرَتْ فِي الغَالِبِ بِالمُصَافَحَةِ بَيْنَ مَنْ تَلَاقَيَا، وَنَحْنُ (٩) فِي هَذِهِ الصُّورَةِ كَأَنَّا (١٠) لَقِينَا النَّسَائِيَّ، فَكَأَنَّا صَافَحْنَاهُ.

(١) في ج: «كما». (٢) «فِيهِ» ليست في د. (٣) «فَيَقَعُ لَنَا ذَلِكَ الحَدِيثُ بِعَيْنِهِ بِإِسْنَادٍ آخَرَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ» سقط من د. (٤) «فِيهِ» ليست في هـ، و، ز، ط، م. (٥) «يَقَعُ بَيْنَنَا فِيهِ وَبَيْنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ» سقطت من ك. (٦) في ط: «إحدى»، وفي ك: «بأحد». (٧) في ب: «فيساوي». (٨) في هـ، ز: «سميت». (٩) في ي: «فنحن»، وفي نسخة على حاشيتها: «ونحن». (١٠) في ب: «كأنما».