I say: Its chain of transmission is authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhārī and Muslim. Al-Ḥākim also recorded it (3/109–110) through Muḥammad ibn Salamah ibn Kuhayl, from his father, from Abū al-Ṭufayl ibn Wāthilah, who heard Zayd ibn Arqam relate it at greater length, similarly to Ḥabīb’s narration, but without the words: “O Allah, befriend…” Al-Ḥākim said: “Authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhārī and Muslim.” Al-Dhahabī rebutted this, saying: “I say: Neither of them narrated from Muḥammad, and al-Saʿdī declared him weak.”

I say: He contradicted the two preceding reliable narrators by adding Ibn Wāthilah to the chain of transmission; this was one of his errors. Ḥakīm ibn Jubayr—who is weak—also followed him in reporting it from Abū al-Ṭufayl. Al-Ṭabarānī recorded it (4971).

The second: from Maymūn Abū ʿAbd Allāh, with a report similar to Ḥabīb’s hadith. Aḥmad (4/372) and al-Ṭabarānī (5092) recorded it through Abū ʿUbayd, from him. Al-Ṭabarānī then recorded it through Shuʿbah, and al-Nasāʾī (p. 16) through ʿAwf, both from Maymūn, without the words: “O Allah, befriend…” Shuʿbah, however, added: “Maymūn said: Some people then related to me from Zayd that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘O Allah…’”

Al-Haythamī said: “It was narrated by Aḥmad and al-Bazzār, and its chain includes Maymūn Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Baṣrī. Ibn Ḥibbān declared him trustworthy, whereas a group of scholars declared him weak.”