- “Moses, son of Imran, is Allah’s chosen one.”
Al-Hakim (2/576) recorded it through Abu Zafar, Abd al-Salam ibn Mutahhar, who said: Jaʿfar ibn Sulayman narrated to us from Thabit al-Bunani, from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said this. Al-Hakim said: “Authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.”
I say: Al-Dhahabi made no comment on it at all. Abu Zafar was not narrated from by Muslim; rather, he is among al-Bukhari’s narrators. He was corroborated by Sayyar, who narrated from Jaʿfar ibn Sulayman through the same chain, adding: “And I am Allah’s beloved.” Al-Daylami (4/75) recorded it.
I say: Sayyar is Ibn Hatim al-ʿAnazi. Al-Dhahabi included him among the weak narrators and said: “Al-Qawariri said: ‘He was with me in the shop; he had no sense.’ He was asked, ‘Do you accuse him?’ He replied, ‘No.’ Others said: ‘He was truthful and sound-hearted.’” Al-Hafiz said: “Truthful, but prone to errors.”
I say: A narrator like him may be used as corroboration, but his addition cannot be accepted over that of one more reliable than him. And Allah knows best.
- “When he performed the night prayer, he would conclude with the salutation of peace after every two rakʿahs.”
Ibn Nasr narrated it in Qiyam al-Layl (p. 50) from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. Regrettably, however, the one who abridged it omitted its chain of transmission, leaving only its Companion narrator; he then followed it with a corroborating report from the hadith of Aishah conveying the same meaning.