until 1 after one of the two transmitters 2 from him has passed a stretch of time, 3 so that some of the younger students can hear from him, and he then lives on 4 for many years after that audition. 5 The combined effect of all these intervals 6 comes to roughly the span just mentioned. Allah is the One who grants success. 7
[One who narrates from two people who share the same name but are not distinguished]
If a narrator transmits from two individuals who have the same personal name, or the same name together with the father’s name, the grandfather’s name, or even the same nisba 8 9, and nothing distinguishes 10 either of them with a specific marker, then—provided both are trustworthy—there is no harm.
An example is what occurs in al-Bukhari 11 where he reports from “Ahmad,” without any further attribution 12, “from Ibn Wahb.” The Ahmad intended is either Ahmad ibn Salih 13 or Ahmad ibn ʿIsa 14; or again, where he says “from Muhammad,” likewise without any attribution 15
(1) Manuscripts A, H, and K insert the word "mawt" (death). Al-Laqani remarks in Qadaʾ al-Watar, p. 1407: “(after one of the two transmitters) that is, after the death of one of the two transmitters.”
(2) Manuscript L reads "akhadh al-rawi" (the transmitter’s receiving), while a marginal copy has "ahad al-rawiyyayn" (one of the two transmitters).
(3) Manuscript W vocalizes the verb "yasmaʿu" with the nominative ending; the adopted reading follows J, D, and K.
(4) The preposition "minhu" (from him) is lacking in W and Z.
(5) Manuscript B has "fayahsunu" (so it is proper).
(6) The word "nahwu" (such as) is omitted in Y.
(7) In the margins of D, W, and L—in the author’s own handwriting—appears: "thumma balagha kadhalik" (then it likewise reached [us]).
(8) The preposition "maʿa" (with) is missing in D.
(9) Manuscript Y reads "aw bi-n-nisba" (or with respect to); a marginal copy has "maʿa n-nisba" (with the attribution), and a marginal note in L records "nisbatahu" (his attribution).
(10) Manuscript A reads "yumayyiza" (to distinguish).
(11) Manuscript H has "li-l-Bukhari" (for al-Bukhari) instead of "fi al-Bukhari" (in al-Bukhari).
(12) Manuscript H vocalizes "ghayra" with a fatha on the ra; J records both fatha and kasra, while the preferred form follows D.
(13) The name "Ahmad" is absent from A.
(14) Manuscript T reads "wa-imma" (or else).
(15) Manuscript J shows both fatha and kasra on the ra of "ghayr"; the accepted reading follows D.