times, giving generously with both hands to his right, his left, and in front of him. How few such people there are.”

I say: One of its two chains of transmission is authentic. Al-Mundhiri said (4/108), “Its narrators are trustworthy.”

There is a corroborating report with this wording, narrated by Atiyyah al-Awfi from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri. Ahmad recorded it (3/31), as did Ibn Majah (4129). Another report, from Abu Dharr, has the wording: “Indeed, those with the most wealth are the ones with the least, except one who does ...” the hadith. Al-Bukhari recorded it (2/83), as did Ahmad (5/152), who used the wording: “the greatest losers.”

1767 — “The imam bears responsibility: if he performs well, the reward is for him and for them; but if he performs poorly—meaning, the liability is upon him, while the reward is for them.”

Ibn Majah recorded it (981) from Abd al-Hamid ibn Sulayman, the brother of Fulayh, who said: Abu Hazim narrated to us: “Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Sa'idi used to appoint the young men of his people to lead them in prayer. He was asked, ‘Do you do this despite the seniority you possess?’ He replied, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say this,’” and then mentioned the hadith.

I say: Its narrators are trustworthy except for Abd al-Hamid ibn Sulayman, who is weak. However, the hadith is authentic, for the statement, “The imam bears responsibility,” has been narrated from Abu Hurayrah and A'ishah, both of which are cited in Sahih Abi Dawud (530–531), and from Abu Umamah by Ahmad (5/260) with a good chain of transmission. The remainder has been narrated from Abu Hurayrah, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: