Ibn ‘Adi recorded it (fol. 177/2) and said: “It is singular. I see no objection in what is narrated from Sa‘id ibn Bashir. He may perhaps err and make mistakes from time to time, but soundness predominates in his hadith, and truthfulness predominates in him.”

Note: This is the wording of the hadith as narrated by al-Walid ibn Muslim and a group of others among those we have mentioned; all of them narrated it from Ibn al-Mubarak in this form. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Sahm differed from them, saying: “Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak informed us …” with the wording: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gave someone a drink, he would say: ‘Begin with the elders,’ or he said: ‘with the most senior.’” Abu Ya‘la recorded it (2/638), as did al-Diya’ through his route.

I say: With this wording, it is anomalous, since Ibn Sahm contradicted the trustworthy narrators in it, particularly in view of Ibn Hibban’s statement concerning him: “He would sometimes err.” Moreover, its apparent meaning conflicts with the hadith reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim from Anas: “Those on the right, then those on the right.” (1) It would require figurative reinterpretation, but there is no need for that, since interpretation presupposes that the report has first been authenticated. Reflect on this.

I say: Even more objectionable in wording is what Nu‘aym ibn Hammad narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak, with the wording: “Goodness …” in place of “blessing.” Al-Bazzar recorded it (no. 1957). Nu‘aym is weak.

Al-Nadr ibn Tahir followed him, narrating: “Ibn al-Mubarak narrated to us in this form.” Al-Daylami recorded it (2/136). Al-Nadr is very weak, as Ibn ‘Adi stated.

1779 — “The alms-due of the Muslims is collected at their watering places.” That is, from their livestock.