I say: Its narrators are trustworthy, apart from Muhammad ibn Hajjaj, who was from Damascus. A number of trustworthy scholars narrated from him, and Ibn Abi Hatim named them (3/235) on his father’s authority. He then said: “I asked him about him, and he replied: ‘A shaykh.’”

Thus, the chain of transmission is good, Allah Most High willing. It seems that this is why al-Suyuti indicated that it is good, as stated in al-Fayd. Al-Bukhari also indicated that it has a corroborating report from Abu al-Darda, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He gave its chain of transmission through al-Aʿmash, from ʿAmr, from Salim, from Umm al-Darda, from him. This is an authentic chain of transmission, all of whose narrators are trustworthy. Salim is Ibn Abi al-Jaʿd, and ʿAmr is Ibn Dinar.

1449 — “Whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, greeted us, we would say: ‘And peace be upon you, along with Allah’s mercy, His blessings, and His forgiveness.’”

Al-Bukhari recorded it in al-Tarikh al-Kabir (1/1/330), saying: Muhammad said: Ibrahim ibn Mukhtar narrated to us, from Shuʿbah, from Harun ibn Saʿd, from Thumamah ibn ʿUqbah, from Zayd ibn Arqam, who said: He then cited it.

I say: This is a good chain of transmission; all its narrators are trustworthy and are included among the narrators of al-Tahdhib. Ibrahim ibn Mukhtar was al-Razi. He narrated from a number of trustworthy scholars, whom Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned (1/1/138), then said: “I asked my father about him, and he replied: ‘He is sound in hadith transmission, and I prefer him to Salamah ibn al-Fadl and ʿAli ibn Mujahid.’” Muhammad, who narrated from him, was Ibn Saʿid al-Asbahani, one of al-Bukhari’s shaykhs in al-Sahih. Thus, the chain of transmission is continuous, not suspended; and the discussion concerning it is the same as that concerning the hadith of