1648 — “The best destinations for which riding mounts are saddled are this mosque of mine and the Ancient House.”

It was recorded by Aḥmad (3/350), Abū Yaʿlā (2/605), al-Baghawī in Ḥadīth Abī al-Jahm (2/2), al-Ṭabarānī in al-Awsaṭ (1/114/2), al-Fākihī in his Ḥadīths (1/15/1)—from whom Ibn Bishrān also narrated it in al-Amālī (55/2)—and ʿAbd ibn Ḥumayd in al-Muntakhab min al-Musnad (114/2), through several routes from al-Layth ibn Saʿd, from Abū al-Zubayr, from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh, from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who said this.

Al-Ṭabarānī said: “No one narrated it from al-Layth except al-ʿAlāʾ.” That is what he said! He is al-ʿAlāʾ ibn Mūsā ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Abū al-Jahm. Al-Haythamī took exception to this in his Zawāʾid, saying: “I say: al-Nasāʾī also narrated it from Qutaybah, from al-Layth.”

I say: It appears that he meant al-Nasāʾī’s al-Sunan al-Kubrā, which has not been printed. The distinguished shaykh ʿAbd al-Ṣamad Sharaf al-Dīn informed me that he had obtained a complete copy of it and was then preparing it for publication. May Allah make this easy for him. He subsequently presented me with its first volume, which contains the Book of Ritual Purity. May Allah enable him to complete its publication and reward him well.

This hadith is well-known as narrated from al-Layth, for the others recorded it through numerous routes from al-Layth with this chain. Al-Fākihī explicitly stated that Abū al-Zubayr directly heard it, which is significant in narrations from Abū al-Zubayr other than those of al-Layth; for it has been established that al-Layth narrated from Abū al-Zubayr only reports in which he explicitly declared direct hearing. Thus, the chain of transmission is authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.

Al-Mundhirī fell short in what he said in al-Targhīb (2/145):