I say: The narration of al-Marwazī contains an important benefit: it establishes that the unnamed man in al-Bayhaqī’s narration was Ibn Mughaffal, the Companion, whose name was ʿAbd Allāh. I had been inclined to favor the view that he was a Companion in my annotations to Subul al-Salām (2/26), while teaching it at the Islamic University, before I came across this explicit narration to that effect. So praise be to Allah for His enabling grace.

Al-Tirmidhī also recorded a similar report, attributed to the Prophet, on the authority of ʿAlī and Muʿādh. Its chain of transmission contains weakness, which is strengthened by this narration of Ibn Mughaffal. I have also found a corroborating report from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Azhar, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “When you come to the prayer while we are prostrating, then prostrate, but do not count it as anything. Whoever catches the rakʿah has caught the prayer.”

Ibn Mandah recorded it in al-Maʿrifah (2/16/2), through Jaʿfar ibn Rabīʿah, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Sāʾib, from ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Azhar, who narrated to him from his father that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it. He then cited it.

I say: This is a weak chain of transmission. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Azhar was a younger Companion. As for his son, ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Azhar, Ibn Abī Ḥātim gave his biographical notice (13/1/15) solely through Jaʿfar ibn Rabīʿah, without mentioning any adverse criticism or accreditation concerning him. I have found no biographical notice for ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Sāʾib. Jaʿfar ibn Rabīʿah, who was Egyptian, was trustworthy and among the narrators of the two Ṣaḥīḥs.

Further corroboration and strengthening for the hadith comes from the practice of leading Companions, such as Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, Zayd ibn Thābit, and Ibn Masʿūd. Their documentation has already been given under hadith (229), so refer to it.

1189 — “When a man comes to a people and they say, ‘Welcome!’ then he will be welcomed on the day he meets his Lord. But when a man comes to a people and they say, ‘May you suffer drought!’ then he will suffer drought on the Day of Resurrection.”

Al-Ḥākim recorded it (3/525) through Ḥammād ibn Salamah, who said: Saʿīd ibn Iyās al-Jurayrī informed us, from Abū al-ʿAlāʾ Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Shikhkhīr, who said: I heard Abū Saʿīd al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Qays al-Fihrī say: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say it. He then cited it. Al-Ḥākim declared it authentic, and al-Dhahabī said: