The first part was narrated by Ibn ʿAdi (274/2), through Abdullah ibn Nafiʿ, from Kathir ibn Abdullah al-Muzani, from his father, from his grandfather, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said: “Most of this Kathir’s hadith are not corroborated.”

Yet it has a corroborating report better than this, with the wording: “Leave the Abyssinians alone so long as they leave you alone, and leave the Turks alone so long as they leave you alone.” Abu Dawud (2/210) narrated it through al-Saybani, from Abu Sakinah, a man among the freedmen, from a man among the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said this. Al-Nasaʾi also narrated it (2/64–65) in a lengthy hadith.

I say: This chain of transmission is acceptable for corroborative purposes. All its narrators are trustworthy except this Abu Sakinah. Al-Hafiz said in al-Taqrib: “It is said that his name was Muhallam, and there is disagreement as to whether he was a Companion.”

I say: If his status as a Companion is not established, then he is a Successor whose reliability is unestablished, from whom three people narrated. Thus, the hadith is a good corroborating report for the first part of the hadith under discussion. The second part has a corroborating report with the wording: “The man with small legs from among the Abyssinians will destroy the Kaʿbah.” It was narrated by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Ahmad (2/310, 317), through several routes from Abu Hurayrah, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Another route from him appears in al-Mustadrak (4/452–453). There is also a corroborating report, with similar wording, from Ibn Umar, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Ahmad narrated it (2/220).