I say: This chain of transmission has trustworthy narrators, apart from Shaybah ibn al-Ahnaf. Duhaym said: “Al-Walid used to narrate from him, but I never heard anyone who knew him.” Abu Zurʿah al-Dimashqi mentioned him among a group of men of mature age and learning. Ibn Hibban, however, included him among the trustworthy narrators.

Accordingly, al-Busiri said in al-Zawaʾid (fol. 34/2): “This is a good chain of transmission; as far as I know, none of its narrators is weak.” I say: It is as he said, were it not for the fact that al-Walid ibn Muslim practised concealment in transmission by smoothing the chain! He did not explicitly state direct transmission from his shaykh or from those above him. Nevertheless, the hadith is authentic on account of corroborating evidence, as it is established in a raised report with the wording: “Perform the minor ablution thoroughly. Woe to the heels from the Fire.” Ahmad (2/164, 193, and 201), Muslim, Abu ʿAwanah in their Sahih collections, and others narrated it through several routes from Mansur, from Hilal ibn Yisaf, from Abu Yahya, from ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw some people performing the minor ablution without completing it, and said the above.” The wording is Ahmad’s. I have also cited it in Sahih Abi Dawud (87).

873 — “Anal intercourse with women is forbidden.”

Al-Nasaʾi narrated it in al-ʿIshrah (Companionship), from al-Sunan al-Kubra (1/77/2), through ʿAbd Allah ibn Shaddad al-Aʿraj, from a man, from Khuzaymah ibn Thabit, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with this wording.

I say: Its narrators are trustworthy except for this unnamed man. However, the hadith is authentic, for it has been reported through other chains from Khuzaymah and others in closely similar wordings. I have mentioned some of them in Adab al-Zifaf (pp. 29–30, Islamic Office edition).