passages. The only difference between them is that it reads, “Do not confuse it with Ramadan,” instead of, “Do not precede the month of Ramadan by one or two days.” The meaning is plainly the same, especially since al-Baghawī’s wording is: “Do not join Ramadan to anything unless it coincides …” and so forth.

Perhaps this is why al-Bayhaqī remained silent regarding the hadith and did not identify any defect in it. Moreover, I have found a supporting parallel transmission for Abū Muʿāwiyah, recorded by al-Ḍiyāʾ al-Maqdisī in al-Muntaqā min Masmūʿātihi bi-Marw (fol. 97/1), through Yaḥyā ibn Rāshid, who said: Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr narrated to us through the same chain. Yaḥyā ibn Rāshid was al-Māzinī al-Barrāʾ. He is weak, but suitable for corroboration and supporting evidence. Thus, it is established that the hadith is good. And Allah knows best.

Al-Dāraquṭnī also narrated a corroborating report for it from Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj, attributed to the Prophet, with similar wording. However, its chain includes al-Wāqidī, who is abandoned and unsuitable for supporting evidence. I have mentioned it only by way of notice.

I then found that Ibn Abī Ḥātim cited the hadith in al-ʿIlal (1/245), through Yaḥyā ibn Rāshid, who said: Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr narrated to us through the same chain. He then said: “My father said: ‘This hadith is not reliably preserved.’” It seems that he had not encountered it through Abū Muʿāwiyah, just as al-Tirmidhī had not encountered this route. By combining the two, the hadith is spared anomaly and contradiction. And Allah knows best.

566 — “The best charity is the utmost effort of one with little means; and begin with those whom you support.”

Al-Baghawī recorded it in Ḥadīth Abī al-Jahm al-ʿAlāʾ ibn Mūsā (2/2): al-Layth ibn Saʿd narrated to us, from Abū al-Zubayr, from Jābir, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

I say: This is a good chain of transmission. Its narrators are trustworthy according to Muslim’s criteria, apart from this Abū al-Jahm. Al-Khaṭīb included his biography (12/240–241) and said: “He was a truthful narrator. He died at the beginning of the year 228 AH.”