Note: Our colleague Hamdi al-Salafi, in his commentary on al-Tabarani, declared the hadith defective on account of al-Hasan al-Basri’s use of the non-explicit “from” transmission formula. He overlooked the fact that al-Hasan explicitly stated direct transmission in Ibn Hibban, Abu ‘Awanah, and Ahmad, through routes from al-Hasan: “Sa‘sa‘ah narrated to me.” This clarification was therefore necessary.

2261 — “If you made a vow, then beat the tambourine; otherwise, do not.”

Al-Tirmidhi (3691), Ibn Hibban (4371, al-Ihsan), al-Bayhaqi (10/77), and Ahmad (5/353) recorded it through al-Husayn ibn Waqid, who said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Buraydah narrated to me: I heard Buraydah say: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, went out on one of his military expeditions. When he returned, a black slave-girl came and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I vowed that, if Allah returned you safely, I would beat the tambourine before you and sing.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then said the above.

She began to beat it. Abu Bakr entered while she was beating it; then ‘Ali entered while she was beating it; then ‘Uthman entered while she was beating it. Then ‘Umar entered, whereupon she threw the tambourine beneath her and sat on it. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Satan truly fears you, O ‘Umar! I was sitting while she was beating it. Abu Bakr entered while she was beating it; then ‘Ali entered while she was beating it; then ‘Uthman entered while she was beating it. But when you entered, O ‘Umar, she threw down the tambourine.”

Al-Tirmidhi said: “A good and authentic hadith.” I say: Its chain of transmission is sound; its narrators are trustworthy and are among Muslim’s narrators. There is some criticism of al-Husayn, but it is not detrimental. Al-Hafiz said in al-Taqrib: “Truthful, though he made errors.”