Ahmad recorded it (no. 6642). Al-Mundhiri said (3/283), “Its chain has some weakness.” Similarly, al-Haythami said of Ibn Lahiʿah (8/65), “His hadith are weak.”

The fourth: He said: from ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Ziyad ibn Anʿam, from ʿUbadah ibn Nusayy, from Kathir ibn Murrah, from ʿAwf ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it—mentioning it with the first wording. Al-Bazzar recorded it in his Musnad (p. 245, its Supplement), and al-Haythami said: “A weak chain.”

Supporting evidence for the hadith is found in what Ibn Abi ʿAsim recorded in al-Sunnah (no. 512, my edition): Hisham ibn Khalid narrated to us: Abu Khalid ʿUtbah ibn Hammad narrated to us, from al-Awzaʿi and Ibn Thawban, both of whom narrated from the latter’s father, from Makhul, from Malik ibn Yukhammir, from Muʿadh ibn Jabal, who attributed it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Ibn Hibban also recorded it in his Sahih (1980), as did Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Rubʿi in A Section of His Hadith (217/1 and 218/1), and others. This is the best of its chains and routes. They have already been mentioned and discussed in detail under no. (1144); I have only repeated the discussion of the hadith here in order to add further source documentation and verification to what was stated there. And Allah is the Grantor of success.

(The polytheist): Anyone who ascribes anything as a partner to Allah with respect to His Essence, His attributes, or His worship.

(The one who harbors rancor): Ibn al-Athir said: “He is one who bears enmity. Rancor is enmity, and mutual rancor is derived from it.” Al-Awzaʿi said: “What is meant here by the one who harbors rancor is the adherent of blameworthy innovation who has departed from the community of the Ummah.”