Abū Nuʿaym also transmitted it in al-Ḥilyah (6/253), as did Ibn ʿAsākir in al-Tārīkh (17/197/2), through several routes from Ḥammād ibn Salamah, from Thābit al-Bunānī and Sulaymān al-Taymī, from Anas, with the same report. Muʿādh ibn Khālid differed from them, saying: “Ḥammād ibn Salamah informed us, from Sulaymān al-Taymī, from Thābit, from Anas,” with the same report. Al-Nasāʾī transmitted it and pointed out that this was an error on the part of Muʿādh ibn Khālid, saying after the preceding narration: “In our view, this is more likely to be correct than the hadith of Muʿādh ibn Khālid. And Allah, Most High, knows best.”

He then transmitted it—as did Aḥmad (5/59, 362, and 365)—through other routes from Sulaymān, from Anas, from some of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. In one version: “I heard Anas say: One of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, informed me of it.” I say: It appears that Anas received it from another Companion; at times he would mention him and trace the chain to him, and at other times he would report it in mursal form without mentioning him. This does not affect the hadith’s authenticity, for the mursal reports of the Companions are authoritative evidence, as is well known.

2628 — “When death comes upon the believer and he beholds what he beholds, he wishes that his soul might depart. Allah loves to meet him. The believer then ascends with his spirit to heaven, and the spirits of the believers come to him, asking him about those they know among the people of the earth. If he says, ‘I left so-and-so in the world,’ this pleases them; but if he says, ‘So-and-so has died,’ they say, ‘He was not brought to us.’ The believer then sits in his grave and is asked, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He replies, ‘My Lord is Allah.’ He is asked, ‘Who is your Prophet?’ He replies, ‘My Prophet is Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.’ He is asked, ‘What is your religion?’ He says:”