hadith in his commentary on al-Musnad (3318). It has now become clear to me that what we indicated there must be clarified, because some scholars engaged in critical editing found the matter problematic when they came across it. I therefore say: The distinguished Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir, may Allah Most High have mercy on him, based his aforementioned authentication on several important points:

First: that ʿAbbād ibn Manṣūr is trustworthy (vol. 4, p. 6; vol. 5, p. 108).

Second: that he never practised concealment in transmission at all.

Third: his doubts concerning the authenticity of the statements reported from some of the hadith authorities indicating that ʿAbbād practised concealment in transmission, and his doubts concerning their implication even if they are authentic!

Fourth: that the Ibn Abī Yaḥyā whom ʿAbbād had concealed in transmission was not Ibrāhīm ibn Abī Yaḥyā, the liar, but rather Muḥammad ibn Abī Yaḥyā, who was trustworthy. These are the pillars upon which the aforementioned Shaykh based his ruling that the hadith is authentic. In reply to this, I say—and Allah is the Granter of success:

First: We know of no early authority, nor any later hadith master, who unreservedly declared ʿAbbād ibn Manṣūr trustworthy as the Shaykh, may Allah Most High have mercy on him, did—except for one report from Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd, which is countered by one stronger than it. Before proceeding to demonstrate this, I shall set out for you the statements of the authorities cited by al-Ḥāfiẓ in al-Tahdhīb, in the biographical notice of this ʿAbbād:

1. ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī said: “I said to Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd: ‘Had ʿAbbād ibn Manṣūr changed?’ He replied: ‘I do not know, except that when we saw him, he did not retain [his reports]; and I never saw Yaḥyā approve of him.’” (al-Jarḥ wa-l-Taʿdīl, 3/1/86; Ibn ʿAdī, fol. 238/1).

2. Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd said: “My grandfather said: ‘ʿAbbād is trustworthy; it is not fitting that…’”