I say: Its chain of transmission is good if Usamah ibn Zayd is the Laythi client, Abu Zayd al-Madani. But if he is the Adawi client, Abu Zayd al-Madani, then it is not so, for he is weak. It is difficult to determine which of the two is intended, since Ibn al-Mubarak narrated from both of them. In either case, however, he is not alone in narrating it: Muhammad also corroborated him, reporting it from Sa'id ibn Abi Sa'id. Ahmad narrated it (2/340). Muhammad is Ibn Ajlan, whose hadith are good; thus, the hadith is authentic, as al-Tirmidhi said. And Allah knows best.

Al-Bukhari also narrated the hadith in al-Adab al-Mufrad (265), from Ibn Ajlan, except that he said: “From his father or Sa'id.” Its chain includes Abdullah ibn Salih, the scribe of al-Layth, who has some weakness; thus, the uncertainty comes from him. And Allah knows best. It has then become more likely to me that Usamah is the Laythi, for I found that al-Hafiz al-Mizzi mentioned him among those who narrated from Sa'id al-Maqburi, but did not mention the Adawi. This adds further strength to the hadith’s existing strength. And Allah knows best. Another hadith from him will come shortly under no. 1730.

1727 — “Indeed, I do not accept a gift from a polytheist.”

Al-Bazzar narrated it (138—al-Zawa'id), from Ma'mar; and al-Bayhaqi, in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (vol. 1, the Bi'r Ma'unah expedition, Aleppo manuscript), narrated it from Musa ibn Uqbah. Both narrated from Ibn Shihab, who said: Abd al-Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Ka'b ibn Malik al-Sulami informed me—and the latter added: “and men of knowledge”—that Amir ibn Malik ibn Ja'far, known as Mula'ib al-Asinnah (“the Spear-Player”), came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, while still a polytheist. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, invited him to Islam, but he refused to accept Islam. He then offered the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, a gift, and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said—then he cited it.

I say: This is an authentic mursal chain of transmission. Ibn al-Mubarak, however, reported it with a connected chain, saying: “From Ma'mar, from—”