al-Maqdisī in al-Mukhtārah (folio 131/1), al-Ṭabarānī in al-Awsaṭ (2/54/1/5908), and Abū Nuʿaym in al-Ḥilyah (7/119). The latter two said: “Zāfir ibn Sulaymān was alone in reporting it.” I say: He is Abū Sulaymān al-Iyādī, a truthful narrator who made many errors. However, Abū Yaʿlā also recorded it through another route from Shabīb ibn Bishr, who is truthful but errs; thus, his hadith is good. In light of the supporting reports already mentioned, it is undoubtedly authentic—especially since it has two further routes from Anas: one in Tārīkh Baghdād (2/360), and the other recorded by al-ʿUqaylī (4/346) and al-Shihāb al-Quḍāʿī (1/212/321). Al-ʿUqaylī said: “The narrations in this chapter are weak, though among them are some sounder than this chain of transmission.” He seems to mean the narration of Shabīb ibn Bishr. And Allah knows best. In sum, the hadith, through these routes, is most likely authentic. And Allah knows best.

2674—“I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, kneading in the prayer”; that is, leaning for support.

Al-Ṭabarānī recorded it in al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ (1/239/1—Islamic University facsimile no. 419—edition): ʿAlī ibn Saʿīd al-Rāzī narrated to us: ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar ibn Abān informed us: Yūnus ibn Bukayr informed us: al-Haytham ibn ʿAlqamah ibn Qays ibn Thaʿlabah informed us, from al-Azraq ibn Qays, who said: “I saw ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar kneading in the prayer, leaning on his hands when he stood up. So I said: ‘What is this, O Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān?’ He then related it.” He added: “No one narrated this hadith from al-Azraq other than al-Haytham; Yūnus ibn Bukayr alone reported it.”