From the foregoing, it may be inferred that al-Zuhri has two chains of transmission for this report, with two wordings: one abbreviated, and the other longer—the latter being from the hadith of Muʿawiyah. It has also been narrated with another addition:

“Whomever Allah intends good for, He grants him understanding of the religion. I am only a distributor, while Allah gives. This ummah will continue to stand firm upon Allah’s command; those who oppose them will not harm them, until Allah’s command comes.”

1195 — “Whomever Allah intends good for, He grants him understanding of the religion. I am only a distributor, while Allah gives. This ummah will continue to stand firm upon Allah’s command; those who oppose them will not harm them, until Allah’s command comes.”

Al-Bukhari recorded it (1/25 and 26; 4/49; 8/149), as did al-Tahawi in Mushkil al-Athar (2/278), through Yunus ibn Yazid, from Ibn Shihab, who reported that Humayd said: “I heard Muʿawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, while delivering a sermon, say: ‘I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say’”—then he cited it.

Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr likewise recorded it in al-Jamiʿ (1/20). Ahmad also narrated it (4/101) from ʿAbd al-Wahhab ibn Abi Bakr, from Ibn Shihab, with the same wording but without the phrase, “I am only a distributor, while Allah gives.” At its end, he added: “And they will prevail over the people.” This addition is found in al-Tahawi, and likewise in one narration of al-Bukhari. Muslim also has it through another route from Muʿawiyah with the wording, “will continue.” It has preceded under number 270.

Al-Darimi narrated its first sentence (1/75, 76) from ʿAbd al-Wahhab. It has chains of transmission from Muʿawiyah, which I mentioned shortly before, and it has been reported with other additions; see “Good Is a Habit,” which has preceded under number 651, as well as what follows after the next hadith.

It has also been narrated with the wording: “Whomever Allah intends good for, He grants him understanding of the religion; and a group of Muslims will continue to fight for the truth, prevailing over those who oppose them, until the Day of Resurrection.” Ahmad recorded it (4/93): Kathir ibn Hisham narrated to us; Jaʿfar narrated to us; Yazid ibn al-Asamm narrated to us. He said: “I heard Muʿawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan mention a hadith which he narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. I did not hear him narrate any other hadith from the Prophet—that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said”—then he cited it.

This is an authentic chain of transmission according to Muslim’s criteria. Jaʿfar is Ibn Barqan. Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr also recorded it (1/20), as did Muslim (6/53 and 54).