was not cited by Muslim at all. Moreover, scholars differed concerning him, as you can see in al-Mizan. In al-Taqrib, he is described as: “Truthful, but prone to error.” Thus, at most, his hadith may be graded good; it cannot be deemed authentic.
- “When you perform ablution, blow your nose; and when you cleanse yourself with stones, use an odd number.”
It was recorded by al-Tirmidhi (1/8), al-Nasa’i (1/17 and 27), Ibn Majah (406), Ibn Hibban (149), Ahmad (4/339 and 340), and al-Khatib (1/286), through Mansur ibn al-Mu‘tamir, from Hilal ibn Yasaf, from Salamah ibn Qays al-Ashja‘i, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said this.
I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. All its narrators are trustworthy and were used by Muslim, apart from al-Ashja‘i, who was a well-known Companion. Al-Tirmidhi said: “A good and authentic hadith.”
- “When you perform ablution, pass water between your fingers and toes.”
It was recorded by al-Tirmidhi (1/10), al-Hakim (1/182), and Ahmad (1/287), through Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad, from Musa ibn Uqbah, from Salih, the client of al-Taw’amah, from Ibn Abbas, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said this. Al-Tirmidhi said: “A singular, good hadith” (see Addendum no. 291/14). Al-Hakim said: “I believe this Salih to be the client of al-Taw’amah. If so, he does not meet the conditions of this book; I have only included it as corroborative evidence.”
I say: He is definitely the client of al-Taw’amah, for this is stated explicitly by al-Tirmidhi and Ahmad, as you can see. He has been criticized, as al-Hakim indicated. Al-Hafiz said in al-Taqrib: “Truthful, but became confused in his later years. Ibn Adi said: There is no harm in the reports narrated from him by the earlier transmitters, such as Ibn Abi Dhi’b and Ibn Jurayj.”