as follows: it is not preserved with this wording. However, the other chain and the corroborating report strengthen it and indicate that it has a firm basis. And Allah knows best.

1272 — “Whoever lives in the desert becomes coarse; whoever pursues game becomes heedless; whoever frequents the doors of rulers is put to trial; and no one draws nearer to a ruler except that he grows farther from Allah.”

Ahmad (2/371 and 440) and Ibn ʿAdi (14/1) narrated it from Ismaʿil ibn Zakariyya, from al-Hasan ibn al-Hakam al-Nakhaʿi, from ʿAdi ibn Thabit, from Abu Hazim, from Abu Hurayrah, attributing it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said: “I know of no one who narrates it other than Ismaʿil ibn Zakariyya. He is good in hadith, and his reports may be recorded.”

I say: This is a good chain of transmission, for all the remaining narrators in the chain are trustworthy. Ismaʿil was relied upon by the two Shaykhs, and al-Hafiz said: “Truthful; he makes few errors.” Sharik contradicted him, narrating it from al-Hasan ibn al-Hakam, from ʿAdi ibn Thabit, from al-Baraʾ, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever lives in the desert becomes coarse.” Ahmad narrated it (4/297).

I say: Sharik had poor retention and is not relied upon when he is the sole narrator, so how could he be when he contradicts others?

1273 — “Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange as it began; so glad tidings to the strangers.” It was said: “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Those who set things right when people become corrupt.”

Abu ʿAmr al-Dani narrated it in The Sunnahs Reported Concerning Tribulations (25/1), from Muhammad ibn Adam al-Masisi, who said: Hafs ibn Ghiyath narrated to us, from al-Aʿmash, from Abu Salih, from Abu al-Ahwas, from ʿAbd Allah—that is, Ibn Masʿud—attributing it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. Its narrators are trustworthy and are narrators of the Sahih, apart from Muhammad ibn Adam