Note: Al-Qamus states: “A mudd—its initial letter pronounced with a u-vowel—is a measure: two ratls, or one ratl and a third; or the amount held by the two hands of a person of moderate build when he fills them and extends his hands with them. It is called a mudd for this reason. I have tested this and found it to be correct.”

I say: According to the second view—that a mudd is one ratl and a third—Sharik’s hadith conflicts with Sufyan’s hadith, which mentions the mudd but does not mention the two ratls; it is therefore less than them. And Allah knows best.

This hadith has already been documented by me under no. (1991), though more briefly than here. Since new points of benefit have become available to us, I thought it fitting to document it once more with these useful additions. Nevertheless, the earlier documentation contains benefits that have not been mentioned here.

2448 — “A prophet will come accompanied by two men; another prophet will come accompanied by three men, or more or fewer than that. He will be asked, ‘Did you convey the message to your people?’ He will reply, ‘Yes.’ His people will then be summoned and asked, ‘Did he convey this to you?’ They will say, ‘No.’ He will be asked, ‘Who will testify for you?’ He will reply, ‘Muhammad and his community.’ Then Muhammad’s community will be summoned and asked, ‘Did he convey this?’ They will say, ‘Yes.’ He will ask, ‘How do you know that?’ They will reply, ‘Our Prophet informed us that the messengers had conveyed the message, and we believed him.’ He said: That is the meaning of Allah Most High’s saying:

“Thus We have made you a just community, so that you may be witnesses over the people and the Messenger may be a witness over you.” (1)

Ibn Majah (2/573–574) and Ahmad (3/58) recorded it from Abu Muʿawiyah, from al-Aʿmash, from Abu Salih, from Abu Saʿid, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs.