claimed that he had changed before he died and become confused.” Yahya replied: “No, he neither became confused nor changed.” I said to Yahya: “Is he trustworthy?” He replied: “Trustworthy and reliable.”

I say: It appears from the totality of the imams’ statements concerning him that he changed somewhat toward the end of his life. Thus, al-Hafiz said of him: “Truthful, but changed toward the end of his life.” However, al-Bukhari did not narrate from him, so the hadith is only good.

The other wording to which al-Hakim alluded appears to be what Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad narrated from Abdullah ibn al-Harith, from al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, who said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, teach me something to ask Allah for.’ He said: ‘Ask Allah for well-being.’ I remained for some days, then I came and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, teach me something to ask Allah for.’ He said to me: ‘O Abbas, uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ask Allah for well-being in this world and the Hereafter.’”

Al-Bukhari recorded it in Al-Adab al-Mufrad (726), al-Tirmidhi (2/266), and Ahmad (1/209). Al-Tirmidhi said: “An authentic hadith; Abdullah ibn al-Harith ibn Nawfal heard from al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib.”

I say: However, Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad is the Hashimite client; he is weak on account of his memory. Perhaps al-Tirmidhi’s authentication of it was in view of its preceding route and its supporting narrations. A similar report was narrated from Anas, and its final sentence has been narrated from Abdullah ibn Jaʿfar, attributed to the Prophet; it is cited in Mishkat (2490).

Al-Haythami said (10/175): “Al-Tabarani narrated it. Its chain includes Hilal ibn Khabbab, who is trustworthy, though a group of scholars declared him weak; its remaining narrators are trustworthy.”