“Be mindful of Allah wherever you are; treat people with good character; and when you commit a bad deed, do a good deed that will erase it.” Ahmad recorded it (5/153, 158, and 177)—the wording cited is from one of his versions—as did al-Darimi (2/323) and al-Tirmidhi (1/359), who said: “A good, authentic hadith!” Al-Tirmidhi and Ahmad (5/228 and 236) then also recorded it, through the route of Maymun, from Muʿadh ibn Jabal, attributed to the Prophet, in similar wording. He said: “Mahmud—that is, Ibn Ghaylan—said: ‘The sound report is the hadith of Abu Dharr.’”

I say: In both versions, however, the chain is interrupted, since Maymun did not hear from Muʿadh or Abu Dharr, as I have explained in al-Rawd al-Nadir (855). See also Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali’s Jamiʿ al-ʿUlum wa-al-Hikam (111–132), in which he discusses the hadith extensively, both in respect to its chain of transmission and its explanation, in a thorough and satisfying manner.

In sum, the hadith in question is authentic when all of its routes are considered together. And Allah knows best.

1374 — “When you conquer Egypt, treat the Copts well, for they have a covenant of protection and ties of kinship.”

Al-Hakim recorded it (2/553) through the route of Maʿmar, from al-Zuhri, from Ibn Kaʿb ibn Malik, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it. Al-Hakim said: “Authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.” Al-Dhahabi concurred with him, and it is as they said. Ibn Kaʿb’s name was ʿAbd al-Rahman.

Al-Awzaʿi corroborated him, reporting it from ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Kaʿb through the same chain. Al-Tahawi recorded it in Mushkil al-Athar (3/124). Ishaq ibn Rashid likewise corroborated him, reporting it from ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Kaʿb with similar wording, and added: “Indeed, Ishmael’s mother was one of them.”