I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission meeting al-Bukhari’s criteria. Hazm and Hudbah have been criticized, but without proof.

Muslim also recorded it, as did al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (41), through the route of Abdullah ibn Umar, as a report attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with similar wording. I have cited the wording of the former of the two in the other book (2089).

1433 — “The most grievous form of riba is to insult people’s honor.”

It was narrated by al-Haytham ibn Kulayb in al-Musnad (30/2), from Abu Husayn, from Nawfal ibn Musahiq, from Sa'id ibn Zayd, as a report attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission; all its narrators are trustworthy. Ibn Abi Husayn is Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Husayn, a trustworthy narrator cited by the two Shaykhs. The hadith also has a supporting mursal report, narrated by Abd al-Razzaq and al-Bayhaqi in al-Shu'ab from Amr ibn Uthman in mursal form, with the addition: “The harshest insult is lampooning, and the reciter is one of the two parties exchanging insults.” This is how it appears in al-Jami al-Saghir. Al-Manawi mentioned that, besides being mursal, it is also interrupted. It also has a supporting report from al-Bara ibn Azib and Sa'id ibn Zayd, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the wording: “Indeed, among the gravest forms of riba is a man’s overstepping the bounds concerning his brother’s honor.” Sa'id added: “without right.” See al-Targhib (3/296–297).

1434 — “Four will put forward a plea on the Day of Resurrection: a deaf man who cannot hear, a man of unsound mind, a senile man, and one who died during the interval between prophets. The deaf man will say, ‘My Lord, Islam came, but I heard nothing.’ The man of unsound mind will say, ‘Islam came, and the children would pelt me with dung.’ The senile man will say, ‘Islam came, but I could not comprehend.’ The one who died during the interval between prophets will say, ‘My Lord, Your messenger did not come to me.’ Then He will take from them their solemn pledges—