Further confirming its anomalous nature, and supporting the view that the preserved wording is that reported by the group, is the additional statement recorded by al-Tayalisi and Ibn Abi Shaybah after the hadith: “Salih said: I lived to see men who had met the Prophet and Abu Bakr; whenever they came and found no alternative but to offer the prayer in the mosque, they would go back without praying.” (1)

This plainly shows that Salih transmitted the hadith with the wording reported by the group, for that is consistent with what he related of the Companions he had encountered: that they refrained from offering the funeral prayer in the mosque. This is unlike Abu Dawud’s narration, “There is no blame upon him,” which differs from and conflicts with it. It also demonstrates the invalidity of interpreting the narration of the group as meaning Abu Dawud’s narration—namely, “There is no blame upon him”—so that, they claimed, the two wordings would have the same meaning and not contradict one another.

I say: Interpretation is contingent upon first establishing a narration’s authenticity. Once we have demonstrated, beyond doubt, the anomalous nature of Abu Dawud’s narration, there is no justification for such an interpretation. In Nasb al-Rayah (2/275), it states: “Al-Khatib said: ‘The preserved wording is: “There is nothing for him.” It has also been narrated: “There is nothing against him,” and: “There is no reward for him.”’ End quote. Ibn Abd al-Barr said: ‘The narration, “There is no reward for him,” is a gross error. The correct wording is: “There is nothing for him.” Salih, the freedman of al-Taw’amah, was among the scholars. Some do not cite him as proof because of his weakness, whereas others accept specifically what Ibn Abi Dhi’b narrated from him.’ End quote.

I say: The reason for this is that his memory had deteriorated. Thus, whoever heard from him before this deterioration—such as Ibn Abi Dhi’b—is a reliable authority, whereas whoever heard from him after it is not a reliable authority. This distinction is the view upon which the scholars, both early and later, have settled. Ibn Abi Hatim (2/1/417) related from Abd Allah ibn Ahmad, from his father, that he said: “Malik had met Salih, but his memory deteriorated in old age. Whoever heard from him early on, then that is sound; and…”