Wakīʿ narrated to us, from Sufyān al-Thawrī, from al-Aʿmash, from Abū Wāʾil, from him. Abū Nuʿaym said: “It is singular among the narrations of al-Aʿmash and al-Thawrī; Wakīʿ alone narrated it.”

I say: He is trustworthy and authoritative, as are those above him. Thus, the chain is authentic if it is free from defect among those below him. This is indicated by Abū Nuʿaym’s statement, “Wakīʿ alone narrated it,” for its implication is that those below him were not alone in transmitting it. This contradicts what al-Khaṭīb related from al-Dāraquṭnī, who said: “No one narrated it other than Abū Ḥāmid.”

I say: He means this al-Ḥaḍramī, who is also trustworthy. However, his shaykh al-ʿIjlī has been criticized. Abū Ḥātim said: “Truthful.” Ibn Ḥibbān listed him among the trustworthy narrators and said: “He sometimes erred.” Aḥmad said: “I do not know him.” Ibn ʿAdī said: “He steals hadith, and his hadiths are not corroborated.”

I say: If he was corroborated in this narration, as is implied by the aforementioned statement of Abū Nuʿaym, then the chain is authentic. Yet I consider that unlikely, in view of what has preceded from al-Dāraquṭnī, and because al-ʿIjlī was contradicted in his chain of transmission. Ibn Abī Shaybah stated in al-Muṣannaf (7/141/1): “Wakīʿ informed us; Abū al-Ashhab informed us, from al-Ḥasan, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, said it,” with the wording of al-ʿIjlī. This, then, is the correct report from Wakīʿ, and it is an authentic mursal chain; thus, in any case, it is a supporting report—