I say: Muhammad ibn Fudayl ibn Ghazwan is trustworthy, and his reports are relied upon in the two Sahihs. Thus, his version is more sound than that of Khalaf ibn Khalifah. However, al-Thawri’s corroboration of Khalaf strengthens Khalaf’s version and gives it preference over Ibn Fudayl’s version. Thus, the chain of transmission is sound. Yet perhaps it is preferable to deem both versions sound, and to hold that al-ʿAlaʾ had two chains of transmission for this report from Abu Saʿid: at times he narrated it from his father, from Abu Saʿid, and at other times from Yunus ibn Khabbab, from Abu Saʿid. Thus, Khalaf, al-Thawri, and Ibn Fudayl each narrated from him what he had heard. And Allah knows best.
- As for the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, there are two routes of transmission from him:
The first is from Sadaqah ibn Yazid al-Khurasani, who said: Al-ʿAlaʾ ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman narrated to us from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, attributing it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the same wording. It was recorded by al-ʿUqayli in al-Duʿafaʾ (188), Ibn ʿAdi (201/2), al-Bayhaqi as well, al-Wahidi in al-Wasit (1/125/2), and Ibn ʿAsakir (8/142/2), all through al-Walid ibn Muslim, who said: Sadaqah ibn Yazid narrated to us with it. Al-ʿUqayli said: “There is also a narration from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri which likewise contains weakness.” Ibn ʿAdi said: “This report from al-ʿAlaʾ is rejected, as al-Bukhari stated. I know of no one other than Sadaqah who narrates it from al-ʿAlaʾ. Rather, it is Khalaf ibn Khalifah—who is well-known for this report and also narrated it from al-Thawri—who narrates it from al-ʿAlaʾ ibn al-Musayyab, from his father, from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Perhaps this Sadaqah heard the mention of al-ʿAlaʾ and assumed that he was al-ʿAlaʾ ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, since that route was easier for him; whereas it was actually al-ʿAlaʾ ibn al-Musayyab, from his father, from Abu Saʿid.”
I say: A number of scholars declared this Sadaqah weak, so he is deserving of such criticism. Yet perhaps the following route strengthens it. And Allah knows best.
The other is from Qays ibn al-Rabiʿ, from ʿAbbad ibn Abi Salih, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, with the same wording. It was recorded by al-Khatib in al-Mudiḥ (1/152).