He also said: “He is not known.” He said: “Nu‘aym ibn Damdam was declared weak by some of them.” End quote. I read in the handwriting of our shaykh—meaning al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar—“I have not seen any declaration of his trustworthiness or any criticism of him, apart from this statement by al-Dhahabi.” Al-Bukhari likewise included it through this route in al-Tarikh (3/2/416), and it is found in Zawa’id al-Bazzar (306). Thus, on account of this supporting report and others similar in meaning, the hadith is good, Allah willing.

1531 — “The best of people—or, in another wording, the best people—is a man who strives in Allah’s cause with his wealth and his life; then a believer in one of the mountain passes, worshipping Allah, his Lord, and leaving people safe from his evil.”

It was recorded by al-Bukhari (6/4 and 11/277–278), Muslim (6/39), Abu Dawud (1/389), al-Nasa’i (2/55), al-Tirmidhi (3/16—Tuhfah), Ibn Majah (2/475), al-Hakim (2/71), and Ahmad (3/16, 37, 56, and 88), through several routes from al-Zuhri, from ‘Ata’ ibn Yazid al-Laythi, from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri: “A man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and asked, ‘Which people are best?’ He replied, ‘A man …’” the hadith. The second wording was recorded by Muslim and Ahmad. Al-Hakim said: “It is authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim, although they did not record it.”

I say: His chain includes Sulayman ibn Kathir, reporting from al-Zuhri. Although he was trustworthy, scholars spoke critically of his narrations from al-Zuhri in particular. He differed from the group in the wording of the hadith, saying: “Which of the believers has the most complete faith?” Abu Dawud and al-Hakim recorded it from him in this manner. However, Ahmad narrated it through his route with the wording of the group, and that is correct.

1532 — “Write, for by Him in Whose hand is my soul, nothing comes forth from it but truth.”

It was recorded by Abu Dawud (2/124–125), al-Darimi (1/125), and al-Hakim (1/105–106),