5. As for the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, Hisham ibn Abd al-Rahman narrated it from al-A'mash, from Abu Salih, from him, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “On the night of mid-Sha'ban, Allah forgives His servants except a polytheist or one who harbours enmity.”

Al-Bazzar recorded it in his Musnad (p. 245, in its supplementary material). Al-Haythami said: “I do not know Hisham ibn Abd al-Rahman, but the rest of its narrators are trustworthy.”

6. As for the hadith of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Abd al-Malik ibn Abd al-Malik narrated it from Mus'ab ibn Abi Dhi'b, from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, from his father or his uncle, from him. It was also recorded by al-Bazzar, Ibn Khuzaymah in al-Tawhid (p. 90), Ibn Abi Asim, al-Lalaka'i in al-Sunnah (1/99/1), Abu Nu'aym in Akhbar Isfahan (2/2), and al-Bayhaqi, as cited in al-Targhib (3/283). He said: “There is nothing wrong with its chain of transmission!” Al-Haythami said: “Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned Abd al-Malik ibn Abd al-Malik in al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil and did not declare him weak. The rest of its narrators are trustworthy!”

That is what they both said. Yet al-Bukhari said of this Abd al-Malik: “His hadith warrants scrutiny”—meaning this hadith, as stated in al-Mizan.

7. As for the hadith of Awf ibn Malik, Ibn Lahi'ah narrated it from Abd al-Rahman ibn An'um, from Ubadah ibn Nusayy, from Kathir ibn Murrah, from him. Abu Muhammad al-Jawhari recorded it in al-Majlis al-Sabi', and al-Bazzar in his Musnad (p. 245), saying: “Its chain of transmission is weak.”

I say: Its defect lies in this Abd al-Rahman, and this is also the basis on which al-Haythami deemed it defective. He said: “Ahmad ibn Salih declared him trustworthy, whereas the majority of the imams declared him weak. Ibn Lahi'ah is somewhat weak, while the rest of its narrators are trustworthy.”