and al-Hakim (2/146), and Ahmad (4/421–422 and 424), all through Hammad ibn Salamah, from al-Azraq ibn Qays, with the same report. Al-Hakim said: “Authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.” Al-Dhahabi concurred with him and made no comment on it. Yet Muslim did not narrate anything from this al-Azraq; rather, he was among al-Bukhari’s narrators. Thus, the hadith is authentic, but not specifically according to Muslim’s criteria. Al-Nasa’i, Ibn Sa‘d, Ibn Ma‘in, al-Daraqutni, and Ibn Hibban all declared him trustworthy. Al-Manawi, following al-Haythami (6/229), fell short when they confined themselves to saying only: “Ibn Hibban declared him trustworthy”!
Another supporting report is narrated by ‘Ata’ ibn al-Sa’ib, from Bilal ibn Baqtar, from Abu Bakrah, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought some dinars ...” The hadith is similar. Ahmad (5/42) recorded it. No one besides Ibn Hibban (4/65) declared this Bilal trustworthy, and ‘Ata’ became confused in his later years.
- “By Allah, Allah will not cast His beloved into the Fire.”
Al-Hakim (4/177) and Ahmad (3/104 and 235) recorded it from Humayd, from Anas—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by some of his Companions, while a small boy was in the middle of the road. When his mother saw the animals, she feared that her son would be trampled, so she rushed about frantically, crying, ‘My son! My son!’ Then she picked up her son. The people said, ‘O Prophet of Allah, this woman would never cast her son into the Fire.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, ‘No, by Allah ...’” The rest of the hadith follows.
Al-Hakim said: “Authentic according to the criteria of the two Shaykhs.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and it is as they said: