I say: He was not alone in narrating it. Al-Daylami also related it in Musnad al-Firdaws (1/1/67), through Ali ibn Asim: Ibn Jurayj narrated to us from Sa‘id al-Maqburi, with the same report.

I say: This chain of transmission consists of trustworthy narrators used by al-Bukhari and Muslim, apart from Ali ibn Asim. Al-Hafiz said, “He is truthful, but makes mistakes and is prone to error.” Ibn Ajlan also corroborated him, narrating from Sa‘id ibn Abi Sa‘id al-Maqburi, attributing it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the wording: “Mercy is invoked for a Muslim when he sneezes three times; if he sneezes again, he has a cold.”

It was narrated by Abu Dawud (2/603, al-Halabi edition) and Ibn al-Sunni (250), whose wording is cited here. Abu Dawud did not give its wording, but merely referred to an earlier wording conveying the same meaning. Al-Bukhari also narrated it in al-Adab al-Mufrad (939), through this route, as a statement of a Companion; this is likewise one of Abu Dawud’s narrations. Its chain is good both as a report attributed to the Prophet and as a statement of a Companion, though the former is more likely, since it accords with the two preceding routes.

It is further supported by the hadith of Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘: “He heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when a man sneezed in his presence, and he said to him, ‘May Allah have mercy upon you.’ Then he sneezed again, whereupon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘The man has a cold.’” Muslim (2993), Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi (2744), al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (935 and 238), and Ibn al-Sunni (249) narrated it. Al-Tirmidhi said, “A good, authentic hadith.”

1331 — “Indeed, Allah has protected my community from uniting upon misguidance.”

Ibn Abi Asim narrated it in al-Sunnah (2/1, no. 79—the office copy), from Sa‘id ibn Zurbi, from al-Hasan, from Ka‘b ibn Asim al-Ash‘ari, who heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say: