As for al-Haythami’s statement in Majmaʿ al-Zawaʾid (2/303–304): “Ahmad and al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Kabir and al-Awsat, all through Ismaʿil ibn ʿAyyash, from Rashid al-Sanʿani; and he is weak when narrating from non-Syrians”—this overlooks the fact that this al-Sanʿani is not ascribed to Sanaʿa in Yemen; rather, he is ascribed to Sanaʿa of Damascus, as stated in al-Taqrib. He was therefore a Syrian, and Ismaʿil’s hadiths from Syrians are authentic. Thus, the hadith is established, praise be to Allah.

1612 — “A great rock is cast from the brink of Hell, and it plunges through it for seventy years without reaching its bottom.”

Al-Tirmidhi recorded it (3/341) through Hisham ibn Hassan, from al-Hasan, who said: ʿUtbah ibn Ghazwan said from this pulpit of ours—the pulpit of Basra—reporting from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He then cited it. Al-Tirmidhi said: “We do not know of al-Hasan having heard from ʿUtbah ibn Ghazwan. ʿUtbah ibn Ghazwan only came to Basra during the time of ʿUmar, while al-Hasan was born when two years remained of ʿUmar’s caliphate.”

I say: The narrators in its chain of transmission are trustworthy, except that it is interrupted. However, it has also been narrated with a connected chain through Khalid ibn ʿUmayr al-ʿAdawi, who said: “ʿUtbah ibn Ghazwan addressed us, praising Allah and extolling Him. Then he said: To proceed: ... We have been informed that a stone is cast from the edge of Hell and plunges through it for seventy years without reaching its bottom.” Muslim (8/215) and Ahmad (4/174) recorded it.

I say: It is a strong corroborating report for al-Hasan’s hadith, because ʿUtbah’s words, “We have been informed,” are phrased in the passive