I say: This chain of transmission consists of trustworthy narrators who are among Muslim’s narrators, though Muhammad ibn Kathir—al-ʿAbdi—has some weakness, and Abu al-Zubayr narrates it using an ambiguous “from” formulation, for he practised tadlīs. Muslim also transmitted it (6/165), in abridged form, through Maʿqil, from Abu al-Zubayr, with the wording: “May Allah curse the one who branded it.” He then transmitted it through Ibn Jurayj, who said: Abu al-Zubayr informed me that he heard Jabir ibn Abdullah say: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade striking the face and branding the face.” This is an authentic chain of transmission in which direct hearing is explicitly affirmed. It has been cited in al-Irwāʾ (2186).

1550 — “As for you, Jaʿfar, your appearance resembles mine and your character resembles mine. You are of me and of my family line. As for you, Ali, you are my son-in-law and the father of my children; I am of you and you are of me. As for you, Zayd, you are my mawla; you are of me and to me, and you are the dearest of the people to me.”

Ahmad (5/204), al-Bukhari in al-Tarikh (1/1/19–20), al-Hakim (3/217), and al-Tabarani in al-Muʿjam al-Kabir, no. 378, transmitted it in abridged form from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from Yazid ibn Abdullah ibn Qusayt, from Muhammad ibn Usamah, from his father, who said: “Jaʿfar, Ali, and Zayd ibn Harithah gathered together. Jaʿfar said, ‘I am the most beloved of you to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.’ Ali said, ‘I am the most beloved of you to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.’ And Zayd said, ‘I am the most beloved of you to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.’ They said, ‘Let us go to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and ask him.’ Usamah ibn Zayd said: So they came seeking permission to enter upon him. He said, ‘Go out and see who these people are.’ I said, ‘This is Jaʿfar, Ali, and Zayd. What should I say, my father (!)?’ He said, ‘Give them permission.’ They entered and asked, ‘Who is dearest to you?’ He replied, ‘Fatimah.’ They said, ‘We are asking you about the men.’ He said...” Al-Hakim said: