The chain of transmission is therefore authentic. Al-Haythamī was unduly restrictive when he merely graded it good in al-Majmaʿ (3/282): “Al-Ṭabarānī narrated it in al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ, and its chain is good.”

I hastened to document this hadith as soon as I obtained a photocopy of al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ, owing to its rarity and to the fact that few hadith collectors or others have cited it. It is also a strong corroborating report for what Muslim narrated (4/85) from Nāfiʿ: that Ibn ʿUmar regarded camping at al-Abṭaḥ as a Sunnah. I say: It is as though Ibn ʿUmar received this from his father, may Allah be pleased with him, and thus his view is strengthened by this authentic corroborating report from ʿUmar.

It is well known to the scholars that this is stronger evidence for the legislated status of camping at al-Abṭaḥ than his son’s view, given what is known of the latter’s extensive adherence to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him—even in matters that he did incidentally rather than intentionally. Examples of this are numerous, and al-Mundhirī mentioned some of them at the beginning of his al-Targhīb (1). This is unlike his father, ʿUmar, as indicated by his prohibition against following such traces (2). Thus, when he stated categorically that camping at al-Abṭaḥ is a Sunnah, one may be more assured that he meant it to be an intended Sunnah than when his son said the same.

This is especially so because it is supported by what al-Bukhārī and Muslim narrated from Abū Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to us while we were at Minā: “Tomorrow we shall encamp at Khayf Banū Kinānah, where they entered into their pact of disbelief.” This was because Quraysh and Banū Kinānah had allied themselves against Banū Hāshim and Banū al-Muṭṭalib, pledging neither to intermarry with them nor to trade with them until they handed over to them the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. By this, he meant camping at al-Abṭaḥ. The wording is Muslim’s.