Saīd. Thus, the book’s claim that its chain of transmission is sound is itself unsound. Perhaps the author was misled by the statement in al-Targhīb (3/8): “Al-Tirmidhī narrated it and said: ‘A sound hadith.’” Yet besides the fact that this grading does not appear in the Būlāq edition of al-Tirmidhī, al-Tirmidhī’s expression “a sound hadith” means only that it is sound due to corroborating evidence, as he explained at the end of his book. This therefore indicates that he considered the chain weak, though not severely so. Rather, its weakness is slight and can be remedied by the report’s transmission through another comparable route—assuming it is established that he did describe the hadith as “a sound hadith.” Allah knows best.

168—(One day the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went out to the prayer ground and saw people buying and selling. He said, “O merchants!” They responded to the Messenger of Allah, raising their necks and turning their eyes toward him. He then said: “The merchants will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection as evildoers, except those who fear Allah, act righteously, and speak truthfully.”

Al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Hibbān, Ibn Mājah, and al-Hākim. Al-Tirmidhī said: “Sound and authentic.”) p. 138

Weak. Al-Tirmidhī (1/228), Ibn Mājah (2146), Ibn Hibbān (1095), and al-Hākim (2/6) transmitted it through Abdullāh ibn Uthmān ibn Khuthaym, from Ismāīl ibn Ubayd ibn Rifāah, from his father, from his grandfather, who related that he went out with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to the prayer ground… Al-Tirmidhī said, “A sound and authentic hadith,” while al-Hākim said, “Its chain of transmission is authentic,” and al-Dhahabī concurred with him. In my view, however, all of these judgments are open to criticism, because al-Bukhārī said of this Ismāīl in al-Tārīkh: “No one other than Ibn Khuthaym narrated from him.” Al-Dhahabī likewise said in al-Mīzān: “I know of no one other than Abdullāh ibn Uthmān ibn Khuthaym who narrated from him.”

I say: In hadith terminology, this means that he is unknown. How, then, can his hadith be declared authentic—especially when no one deemed him trustworthy except Ibn Hibbān, who is known for his leniency in declaring narrators trustworthy? It is true that al-Hārith ibn Ubaydah narrated it from