the chapter heading “The Humility of the Prophet ﷺ,” interpreting the ḥadīth as a prohibition of unrestricted praise—a reading that fits hand-in-glove with the concept of humility.

Note
Be aware that two additional phrases appear in some of the other routes for the aforementioned ḥadīth of the blind man. It is essential to clarify that both are anomalous and weak so that the reader will not be misled by anyone who cites them in support of an erroneous view.

The first addition
Hammād ibn Salamah alone relates an extra clause. He said, “Abū Jaʿfar al-Khaṭmī narrated to us…,” then produced an isnād identical to that of Shuʿbah and a matching text, except that he shortened it slightly and appended these words at the end, after the sentence “and let my Prophet intercede for the return of my sight”: “And should you have any need, then do the same.” Abū Bakr ibn Abī Khaythamah recorded it in his Tārīkh, stating: “Muslim ibn Ibrāhīm narrated to us; Hammād ibn Salamah narrated it to us.”

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah judged this addition defective in al-Qāʿidah al-Jalīlah (p. 102) because Hammād ibn Salamah is the sole transmitter of it and because it contradicts the version of Shuʿbah, who is the most authoritative narrator of this ḥadīth. Such a ruling is perfectly consistent with the principles of ḥadīth criticism and does not violate them in the least. Al-Ghumārī’s claim in al-Miṣbāḥ (p. 30) that “Hammād is a reliable transmitter found in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, and the addition of a trustworthy narrator is acceptable” reflects either inattention or a deliberate disregard for the established rule: an additional wording is accepted only when it does not conflict with someone more reliable.