I say: This chain of transmission has two defects. The first is that Jamil ibn Abi Maymunah’s status is unknown. Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned him on his father’s authority, stating that he narrated from Ibn Abi Zakariyya al-Khuza‘i and that Muhammad ibn Ishaq narrated from him. He then said: “He also narrated from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, and al-Layth ibn Sa‘d narrated from him.” Al-Haythami likewise identified this as a defect, saying (3/209): “Al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Awsat, and its chain includes Jamil ibn Abi Maymunah. Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned him but did not state any criticism or accreditation of him, while Ibn Hibban listed him among the trustworthy narrators.”

The other defect is Ibn Ishaq’s use of an ambiguous ‘from’ narration (ʿanʿanah). Al-Mundhiri alluded to this defect when he said (2/166): “Abu Ya‘la narrated it through Muhammad ibn Ishaq, while the rest of its chain’s narrators are trustworthy.”

I say: I found another chain for it from al-Laythi. Yahya ibn Sa‘id said in Two Sessions from the Dictations (folio 51/2): ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali narrated to us, saying: Abu Mu‘awiyah al-Darir informed us; Hilal ibn Maymun al-Filastini narrated to us, from ‘Ata ibn Yazid al-Laythi, with it. Abu Nu‘aym also transmitted it in Akhbar Isfahan (2/21) through Ibn Sa‘id’s route, but he said “al-Wasiti” in place of “al-Filastini,” which is an error by the copyist or typesetter.

I say: This is a sound chain of transmission. All of its narrators are trustworthy and are among the narrators of the two Shaykhs, except Hilal ibn Maymun al-Filastini. Ibn Ma‘in and Ibn Hibban declared him trustworthy, and al-Nasa’i said: “There is nothing wrong with him.” As for Abu Hatim, he said: “He is not strong, but his hadith may be recorded.” Ibn Hibban included several of his hadiths in his Sahih; their numbers are (1160