“Its chain of transmission is authentic, and its narrators are trustworthy.” He added: “The chain contains four Successors, each narrating from the other.”

I say: Ibn Hibban likewise authenticated it under no. 2014.

764 — “Indeed, the family of so-and-so are not my close allies; rather, my close ally is Allah and the righteous believers.”

It was recorded by al-Bukhari (10/344–345) and Ahmad (4/203), and Muslim (1/136) narrated it from Ahmad, from Muhammad ibn Jaʿfar: Shuʿbah narrated to us from Ismaʿil ibn Abi Khalid, from Qays ibn Abi Hazim, from ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say aloud—not secretly—then he mentioned it.

Al-Bukhari then said: ʿAnbasah ibn ʿAbd al-Wahid added, from Bayan, from Qays, with the same report: “But they have a kinship tie with me that I shall preserve by maintaining it.” That is, I shall sustain it by upholding the ties of kinship. Al-Hafiz said: Al-Bukhari also transmitted it with a connected chain in the Book of Kindness and Maintaining Ties, saying: Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahid ibn ʿAnbasah narrated to us; my grandfather narrated to us; then he mentioned it. Al-Ismaʿili also recorded it through the narration of Nahd ibn Sulayman, from the aforementioned Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahid, with similar wording.

I say: I have not found any biographical notice for this Muhammad in any of the books available to me. Al-Fadl ibn Muwaffaq corroborated him regarding this addition, but he is weak; it has different wording, which I have documented in al-Daʿifah (1679).

765 — “Indeed, my close allies on the Day of Resurrection will be the God-fearing, even if one lineage is closer than another. So do not let people come to me bearing deeds while you come to me carrying worldly goods upon your necks, saying, ‘O Muhammad!’ Then I shall say this and that: ‘No!’ and turn away in both directions.”