at greater length, with some variation in wording. It includes that Gabriel, peace be upon him, said to him, peace and blessings be upon him: “Indeed, your Lord commands you to go to the people of al-Baqi‘ and seek forgiveness for them.” Muslim (3/63–64), al-Nasa’i (1/286–287), and Ahmad (6/221) narrated it. Thus, his words, “and seek forgiveness for them,” clarify that the words in ‘Alqamah’s narration, “to pray over them,” do not refer to the funeral prayer; rather, they mean supplication and seeking forgiveness for them.

1775 — “The people of Yemen are more tender-hearted, gentler in disposition, and more effective in their obedience.”

Imam Ahmad narrated it in al-Musnad (4/154) through Mishrah ibn Ha‘an, who said: I heard ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir say: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say—and he mentioned it.

I say: This is a good chain of transmission. All its narrators are trustworthy and are among the narrators of the two Sahihs, apart from this Mishrah; Ibn Ma‘in declared him trustworthy, as did Ibn Hibban. Yet he then contradicted himself by listing him in al-Du‘afa’! Al-Haythami said in Majma‘ al-Zawa’id (10/55): “Ahmad and al-Tabarani narrated it—the latter saying, ‘more ready to obey’—and its chain is good.” “More effective” means more beneficial.

1776 — “A house in which there are no dates is like a house in which there is no food.”

Ibn Majah (3327) narrated it through Hisham ibn Sa‘d, from ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Abi Rafi‘, from his grandmother Salma, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said—and he mentioned it.

I say: This is a good chain of transmission. Its narrators are trustworthy and are among the narrators of Muslim, despite some weakness in Hisham, except for ‘Ubayd Allah—who was ‘Ubayd Allah ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Rafi‘, though he was ascribed to his grandfather. Ibn Ma‘in said: “There is no harm in him.” Abu Hatim said: