(1/123)! Perhaps for this reason al-Mundhiri said (1/152): “Al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani narrated it through a chain of transmission that is not objectionable.” However, the hadith has a corroborating report that strengthens it: a similar report from Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, attributed to the Prophet. Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated it in al-Musannaf (1/131/1), as did Abu Dawud, al-Nasaʾi, and others. Al-Hakim and others authenticated it. It is cited in Sahih Abi Dawud (563) and elsewhere.

1913 — “Let people continue to act, for in Paradise there are one hundred degrees, with the distance between every two degrees like that between heaven and earth. Firdaws is the highest and central part of Paradise; above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful, and from it the rivers of Paradise flow. So, when you ask Allah, ask Him for Firdaws.”

Al-Tirmidhi narrated it (3/325–326, Tuhfah), as did Ahmad (5/240–241), from ʿAbd al-ʿAziz ibn Muhammad, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from ʿAtaʾ ibn Yasar, from Muʿadh ibn Jabal, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan, performs the prayer, and performs the pilgrimage to the House—I do not know whether he mentioned zakah or not—it is due from Allah that He forgive him, whether he emigrates in the cause of Allah or remains in the land where he was born.” Muʿadh said: “Should I not tell the people about it?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied: … Then he mentioned it.

The wording is al-Tirmidhi’s. He said: “Thus this hadith has been narrated from Hisham ibn Saʿd, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from ʿAtaʾ ibn Yasar, from Muʿadh ibn Jabal; and in my view this is sounder than the hadith of Hammam, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from ʿAtaʾ ibn Yasar, from ʿUbadah ibn al-Samit. ʿAtaʾ did not meet Muʿadh ibn Jabal, and Muʿadh died early, during the caliphate of ʿUmar.”