cut their hands. Indeed, my Lord is Knowing of their plot.” May Allah have mercy on Lot! He indeed sought refuge in a mighty support when he said to his people: “If only I had strength against you, or could take refuge in a mighty support!” No prophet was sent after him except amid a strong and numerous body of his people.”

Imam Ahmad narrated it (2/232): Muhammad ibn Bishr narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Amr narrated to us; Abu Salamah narrated to us from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said it.

Ibn Jarir, in his Tafsir (12/139), al-Tahawi, in Mushkil al-Athar (1/136), and al-Hakim (2/561) also narrated the latter half of it. Al-Hakim said: “It is authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.” Al-Dhahabi concurred. Muslim only narrated Muhammad ibn Amr as corroborative evidence. Al-Tirmidhi (4/129) and Tammam (folio 86/1–2) narrated it in full from him through other authentic chains, and al-Tirmidhi graded it good.

Khalid ibn Abd Allah differed from them in the wording of the hadith. He narrated it in full from Muhammad ibn Amr, except that he said: “May Allah have mercy on Joseph. Had it not been for the statement he made—‘Mention me to your master’—he would not have remained in prison as long as he did.” Ibn Hibban narrated it (1747): al-Fadl ibn al-Hubab al-Jumahi informed us; Musaddad ibn Musarhad narrated to us; Khalid ibn Abd Allah narrated to us from him.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said in his History (1/208): “This is rejected through this route. Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Alqamah has some reports in which he alone narrates, and they contain objectionable material. This wording is among the most objectionable and the gravest of them. What is found in the two Sahihs testifies to its wording—that is, to its being rejected.”