Ibn Majah (2/197) recorded it through Abu Sinan, Isa ibn Sinan, from Ya‘la ibn Shaddad, from Ubadah ibn al-Samit, who said: “At Hunayn, the Messenger of Allah led us in prayer beside a camel from the spoils being apportioned. He then took hold of something from the camel and plucked from it a tuft—that is, a tuft of hair—which he held between his fingers. Then he spoke the words just cited.”

Its narrators are trustworthy, apart from Isa ibn Sinan, concerning whom there is disagreement. Al-Mizan states: “Ahmad and Ibn Ma‘in declared him weak. He is among those whose hadith may be recorded despite his mild weakness, while some regarded him as somewhat reliable.” Al-‘Ijli said: “There is no harm in him.” Abu Hatim said: “He is not strong.” Al-Taqrib states: “He is soft in hadith.”

I say: However, it is strengthened by the hadith being reported through another route from Ubadah, with the wording: “O people, nothing of what Allah has bestowed upon you is lawful for me—not even as much as this—except the fifth, and the fifth is returned to you. So hand over the needle and thread, and beware of misappropriating war booty, for it will be a disgrace for those guilty of it on the Day of Resurrection. Hold fast to jihad in the path of Allah, for it is one of the gates of Paradise through which Allah removes anxiety and grief.” He would disapprove of extra grants of booty (anfal), saying: “So that the strong among the believers may give to the weak among them.”

Ibn Hibban (1693) and al-Hakim (3/49) (5/318, 319, 324) recorded it in separate portions through Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith, from Sulayman ibn Musa al-Ashdaq, from Makhul, from Abu Salam, from Abu Umamah al-Bahili, from Ubadah ibn al-Samit, who said: “At Hunayn, the Messenger of Allah took a tuft of hair from the side of a camel and then spoke the words just cited.” Al-Nasa’i (2/178) transmitted its first passage, while al-Darimi (2/229, 230) transmitted the second, third, and final passages through this chain of transmission.