attributed to the Prophet. Al-Tirmidhi said: “A good, authentic hadith.” That is what he said, although al-Hajjaj and Abu al-Zubayr both practised concealment in transmission.

Ibn al-Turkumani reports in al-Jawhar al-Naqi (5/290) that he—that is, al-Tirmidhi—said: “A good hadith.” This is closer to what is correct. For when al-Tirmidhi says of a hadith, “A good hadith,” he does not mean that its chain of transmission is good; rather, he means that it is good due to corroborating evidence. This hadith is likewise, for I found a supporting report narrated by Khalaf ibn Khalifah, from Abu Janab, from his father, from Ibn Umar: “... A man came up to him and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what do you think of a man who sells a horse for several horses, and a noble she-camel for camels?’ He said: ‘There is no objection, provided it is hand to hand.’”

Ahmad (2/109) and al-Tabarani in al-Kabir recorded it, as cited in Majma al-Zawa’id. He said (4/105): “It contains Abu Janab al-Kalbi, who practised concealment in transmission.”

I say: His name was Yahya ibn Abi Hayyah. Al-Hafiz said: “They declared him weak because of his frequent concealment in transmission.” His father, Abu Hayyah, is unknown. Khalaf ibn Khalifah was truthful, but became confused in his later years. The hadith of Samurah and others, attributed to the Prophet, also corroborates this hadith: