and al-Tahawi in al-Mushkil (1/68), through several chains from al-Awzaʿi with this report, except that they said: “From Abu Qilabah, who said: Abu Masʿud said to Abu ʿAbd Allah—or Abu ʿAbd Allah said to Abu Masʿud—‘What did you hear ...’” and so on.

This is an authentic chain of transmission. Its narrators are trustworthy and are among those narrated from by both al-Bukhari and Muslim. Abu Qilabah explicitly stated transmission in al-Walid ibn Muslim’s narration: “Al-Awzaʿi informed us; Yahya ibn Abi Kathir informed us; Abu Qilabah informed us; Abu ʿAbd Allah informed us,” attributing it to the Prophet. It was narrated by al-Tahawi and Ibn Mandah in al-Maʿrifah (2/251/2).

I say: This is an authentic, continuous chain with explicit statements of transmission. Abu Dawud said: “This Abu ʿAbd Allah is Hudhayfah.”

I say: This is explicitly clarified in Ahmad’s chain: “Or Abu Masʿud said to Abu ʿAbd Allah—meaning Hudhayfah.” Therefore, he included it in the Musnad of Hudhayfah. They were all contradicted by Yahya ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz, who said: From Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Abu Qilabah, from Abu al-Muhallab, that ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmir said, “O Abu Masʿud, what did you hear ...” and so on.

This version is anomalous—indeed, objectionable—for this Yahya is not known for reliable retention and precision. This is why the hadith master described him as “acceptable,” meaning when corroborated; otherwise, he is weak when narrating alone, according to his terminology. So what then when he has contradicted the others?

I say: The hadith censures the use of this expression, “they claim,” although in Arabic it may sometimes mean “he said,” as is well known. This is why it occurs in the Quran only in reports concerning condemned people and blameworthy matters that came from them, such as His saying, Exalted is He: “Those who disbelieve claim that they will never be resurrected.” Then He followed it