from Anas, with similar wording, but it does not include the hadith under discussion. Al-Bazzar recorded it (p. 207). I say: This chain of transmission is weak because of Sharik and his son.
It has another supporting report, narrated by Jamiʿ ibn Matar al-Habati: Abu Ruʾbah Shaddad ibn ʿImran al-Qaysi narrated to us from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri that Abu Bakr came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I passed through such-and-such a valley, where I found a man humbly praying, of fine appearance.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: “Go to him and kill him.”
Abu Bakr went to him, but when he saw him in that state, he disliked killing him, so he returned to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then said to Umar: “Go and kill him.” Umar went and saw him in the same state in which Abu Bakr had seen him. He too disliked killing him, so he returned and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I saw him praying humbly, and I disliked killing him.” He said: “O Ali, go and kill him.” Ali went, but did not find him. He returned and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I did not see him.” He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Indeed, this man and his companions will recite the Quran, but it will not go beyond their collarbones. They will pass out of the religion just as an arrow passes through the game, and they will not return to it until the arrow returns to its nock. So kill them, for they are the worst of creatures.”
Ahmad recorded it (3/15). I say: Its chain of transmission is good; its narrators are known and trustworthy, apart from this Abu Ruʾbah. Ibn Hibban declared him reliable, and Yazid ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Shaybani also narrated from him. Al-Haythami said (6/225): “Ahmad narrated it, and its narrators are trustworthy.” Then, on the following page, he explicitly stated that he authenticated it, along with the previously mentioned hadith of Abu Bakrah—the hadith under discussion.
(Fawq: In al-Nihayah: “The fawq of an arrow is the place where the bowstring rests.”)