All its other narrators are deemed reliable, apart from Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahim al-Thaqafi al-Basri, Ibn 'Adi’s shaykh in this chain. Al-Khatib included him in his History (4/269), identified him by the kunyah Abu 'Amr, and said: “'Abd Allah ibn 'Adi al-Jurjani narrated from him in his Mu'jam and mentioned that he heard from him in Baghdad.” He mentioned no criticism or accreditation concerning him. However, he was corroborated by al-Ruyani, the trustworthy hadith master, who said in his Musnad (30/216/1): “Abu Hafs 'Amr ibn 'Ali informed us: In the year 178 AH, I heard a shaykh say: Abu Ghalib informed us,” relating the same report, except that he said, “the prophets” in place of “the nations.” He also added: Abu Hafs said, “I described this shaykh, and they said: ‘This is Muhammad ibn Thabit al-'Asri.’”

I say: He is the same al-'Abdi, as stated in al-Tahdhib. The hadith has corroborating reports that strengthen it. As for its first part, it is reported by Abu Dawud and others from Ma'qil ibn Yasar, and Ibn Hibban authenticated it (1229). Ibn Hibban also related it from Anas (1228). It has been fully sourced in Adab al-Zifaf (p. 16) and al-Irwa' (1811).

As for the second part, it is corroborated by what Ibn Sa'd narrated in al-Tabaqat (3/395), from Mu'awiyah ibn Abi 'Ayyash al-Jarmi, from Abu Qilabah: 'Uthman ibn Maz'un set aside a house and remained therein, devoting himself to worship. When news of this reached the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he came to him, took hold of the two doorposts of the house in which he was, and said: “O 'Uthman, Allah did not send me with monasticism”—twice or three times—“and the best religion in Allah’s sight is the upright and tolerant faith.”

I say: This is a mursal chain that is acceptable for corroborative purposes. All its narrators are trustworthy and appear in the two Sahihs, apart from this al-Jarmi. Ibn Abi Hatim included his biography in his book (4/1/380), but mentioned no criticism or accreditation concerning him, although three trustworthy narrators reported from him. As for what al-Darimi narrated (2/133) through Ibn Ishaq, who said: al-Zuhri narrated to me, from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, who said: