Ahmad (3/236 and 237), Ibn Jarir, and al-Hakim (2/537) reported it. Abd al-Wahhab ibn Abi Bakr also narrated it from Abd Allah ibn Muslim ibn Shihab. Ibn Jarir and Ahmad (3/220) reported it.

I say: Thus, there are three routes from Abd Allah ibn Muslim ibn Shihab. He was trustworthy and among Muslim’s narrators; therefore, this report is well-known from him, and not well-known only through his son Muhammad, as al-Hakim’s remarks on it might suggest. Through his son, however, it is good, as al-Tirmidhi stated, since his retention has been criticized. Yet the corroboration he receives from his uncle al-Zuhri, as well as from Abd al-Wahhab ibn Abi Bakr al-Madani—who is also trustworthy—renders his hadith authentic. Perhaps al-Tirmidhi was unaware of these corroborating reports; otherwise, he ought to have declared it authentic. And Allah knows best.

The hadith also has another route with similar wording. Ahmad (3/221) said: Sayyar ibn Hatim narrated to us: Jafar ibn Sulayman al-Dubai narrated to us: Thabit narrated to us from Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “The birds of Paradise are like Bactrian camels, grazing among the trees of Paradise.” Abu Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allah, these are indeed splendid birds!” He said, “Those who eat them will be more blissful than they are”—he said this three times—“and I hope, Abu Bakr, that you will be among those who eat from them!”

This chain meets Muslim’s conditions, except for Sayyar ibn Hatim, who was truthful but prone to errors, as stated in al-Taqrib. It also contains a manifest anomaly. It is not strengthened by what Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in Hadi al-Arwah (1/295), namely al-Hakim’s narration through al-Fadl ibn al-Mukhtar, from Ubayd Allah ibn Mawhib, from Ismah ibn Malik al-Khatmi, from Hudhayfah, attributed to the Prophet, with wording similar to Sayyar’s hadith.

I say: It does not strengthen it, for this al-Fadl was very weak. Abu Hatim said: “His hadiths are objectionable; he reports falsehoods.” Al-Dhahabi cited a number of his hadiths and then said: