The narrator from him, Abu al-Ward ibn Abi Burdah, was identified conclusively by al-Hafiz as Abu al-Ward ibn Thumamah ibn Hazn al-Qushayri—that is, the one mentioned earlier in connection with his narration from Abu Muhammad al-Hadrami. He held that calling him here “ibn Abi Burdah” is an error. I say: It is possible that Abu Burdah was the kunyah of Thumamah, Abu al-Ward’s father; in that case, there is no need to deem it an error. Allah knows best. Ibn Thumamah was classified by al-Hafiz as acceptable. Allah knows best.

The hadith has a supporting report from Abu Hurayrah, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “Whoever says: ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah ...’ after performing the dawn prayer ten times ...” The hadith continues, except that it states: “And he shall have the equivalent of freeing two slaves from among the descendants of Ishmael.” Al-Khatib recorded it in his History (12/389 and 472) through al-Hasan ibn Arafah: Qiran ibn Tamam al-Asadi narrated to us from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih, from his father, from him.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. It is found in the well-known collection of al-Hasan ibn Arafah (no. 18). Al-Naji said in al-Ajalah (70): “Its chain meets Muslim’s conditions, though they did not record it.” I say: Muslim did not narrate anything from Qiran ibn Tamam; thus, it is merely authentic, as we have stated. Its documentation has preceded under no. 113.

Ahmad (2/360), Ibn Mandah in Oneness of God (folio 59/2), and al-Bayhaqi (1/345) also recorded it through Sumayy, from Abu Salih, from him, with similar wording, except that it says: “when morning begins” and “when evening begins.”