“A good, authentic hadith.” Al-Hakim said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic, though the two of them did not record it,” and al-Dhahabi concurred with him.

I say: It is as they said. Al-Suyuti also attributed it to Muslim in al-Jami al-Saghir, but this is an error, for it is not found there. Its chain revolves around Zayd ibn Artah, and he does not meet Muslim’s criteria, even though he is trustworthy. This is why al-Hakim and al-Dhahabi stated categorically that the two of them did not record it. Likewise, al-Nabulsi, in al-Dhakha'ir (3/158), attributed it only to the compilers of the three Sunan works. In al-Fath al-Kabir, it is attributed to al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad; perhaps this was an error by one of the copyists.

Know that the victory mentioned in the hadith has been explained: it is not victory by virtue of the persons of the righteous, but rather through their supplication and sincerity. This is stated in the following hadith: “Allah grants victory to this Ummah only through its weak: through their supplication, their prayer, and their sincerity.”

Al-Nasa’i (2/65), Tammam in al-Fawa’id (folio 105/2), and Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah (5/26) narrated it through several routes from Talhah ibn Musarrif, from Mus'ab ibn Sa'd, from his father, who thought that he had superiority over those beneath him among the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then said: …

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission according to the criteria of the two Shaykhs. Al-Bukhari also narrated it (4/30, al-Nahdah edition) through another route from Mus'ab, with the same report but without the explanation mentioned above. Ahmad likewise narrated it (1/163) through another route from Sa'd.