“When the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—arrived in Medina, the people were cutting off camels’ humps and sheep’s fat tails. The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—then said…” and he cited the report. Al-Hākim said: “Authentic according to al-Bukhārī’s criteria.” Al-Dhahabī concurred. Al-Tirmidhī said:

“It is a sound, singular hadith, which we know only through the narration of Zayd ibn Aslam.”

I say: He was trustworthy and among the narrators used by al-Bukhārī and Muslim. However, his transmitters differed concerning its chain of transmission. Ibn Dīnār narrated it from him in this form. He was corroborated by ‘Abd Allāh ibn Ja‘far, who said: Zayd ibn Aslam narrated it to us with the same report.

Al-Hākim narrated it (4/123–124) and said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabī objected, saying: “I say: Do not place firm reliance upon it!” He was indicating that ‘Abd Allāh ibn Ja‘far—the father of ‘Alī ibn al-Madīnī—was included by al-Dhahabī in al-Du‘afā’, where he said: “They declared him weak.” Al-Hāfiz said in al-Taqrīb: “Weak.”

I say: Nevertheless, Ibn Dīnār’s corroboration of him lends strength to the report, for Ibn Dīnār was in better standing than he was. Al-Bukhārī narrated from him, although he too was subject to criticism. Al-Dhahabī included him in al-Du‘afā’ and said: “Trustworthy. Ibn Ma‘īn and others said: There is weakness in his hadith.”

Hishām ibn Sa‘d contradicted him, narrating from Zayd ibn Aslam, from Ibn ‘Umar, that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said… and he cited the report. Ibn Mājah (3216), al-Dāraqutnī, and al-Hākim (4/124) narrated it.

I say: Hishām ibn Sa‘d’s standing was approximately the same as Ibn Dīnār’s. Muslim narrated from him, and al-Hāfiz said: “Truthful, though he made errors.”

Miswar ibn al-Salt and Sulaymān ibn Bilāl contradicted them, narrating from ‘Atā’ ibn Yasār, from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī, that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—was asked about portions cut from camels’ humps and sheep’s fat tails; and he cited the report.

Miswar was abandoned as a transmitter, as al-Nasā’ī and others stated. As for Sulaymān ibn Bilāl, he was trustworthy and was among