And it has the same meaning as Malik’s narration. He should therefore have attributed it to Malik, given Malik’s higher standing in the chain, and pointed out that it is mursal, as was his custom.
I then came across a photographic copy of a manuscript of Masāwiʾ al-Akhlāq, of which I am presently preparing a copy and numbering its hadiths in readiness for its critical edition and publication, Allah willing. There I found the hadith (no. 207) through al-Awzaʿi, from al-Muttalib ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Hantab, who said: “Backbiting was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said: ‘Backbiting is to mention a man for a trait that he possesses.’” They said, “We had thought that backbiting meant only mentioning him for something he does not possess.” He said: “That is slander.”
In this source, it appears as khuluq (character), with a qāf, rather than khilfah (behind his back), with a fāʾ, as cited earlier from al-Zawāʾid; and this is perhaps preferable. Moreover, al-Awzaʿi was a trustworthy memorizer and imam, so this constitutes strong corroboration for al-Walid and indicates the soundness of his retention.
1993 — “This travel is strenuous and burdensome. So, when one of you performs the Witr prayer, let him pray two rakʿahs. If he later wakes up, [he may pray]; otherwise, they will count for him.”
Al-Darimi (1/374), Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih (2/159/1103), and Ibn Hibban (683) reported it through several routes from Ibn Wahb, who said: Muʿawiyah ibn Salih narrated to me from Shurayh ibn ʿUbayd, from ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr, from his father, from Thawban, who said: “We were travelling with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said”—then he mentioned the hadith.
Al-Darimi does not contain the clause explicitly stating that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said the hadith while travelling. For this reason, he appended the comment: “It is said, ‘This travel,’ whereas I say, ‘This sleeplessness’!” Accordingly, the hadith appears in his version with the wording: “This sleeplessness.” This is refuted by two considerations: