(4/77–78), Ibn Abī Shaybah (12397), and Aḥmad (2/295–296), through the route of Ḥammād ibn Salamah, from ʿĀṣim ibn Abī al-Najūd, from Abū Ṣāliḥ, from Abū Hurayrah, who said: He then related it as attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

In one wording recorded by Abū Dāwūd: “Perhaps Allah …”; this is also the wording of Ibn Ḥibbān. Al-Ḥākim said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic, but the two did not record it in this wording, stated with certainty: ‘Indeed, Allah looked upon them and forgave them.’ Rather, they recorded it in tentative terms: ‘How do you know? Perhaps Allah, Most High, looked upon the people of Badr …’” Al-Dhahabī agreed with him.

I say: The wording that the two recorded is from the hadith of ʿAlī, may Allah be pleased with him. Others besides them also narrated it from him, and al-Tirmidhī authenticated it. It is cited in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd (2381). It has also been narrated from other Companions, including Ibn ʿAbbās, as recorded by Aḥmad (1/331); Ibn ʿUmar, also recorded by him (2/109); and Jābir as well (3/350). He authenticated it according to Muslim’s criteria, and al-Dhahabī agreed with him. All of them mentioned it in the account of Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Baltaʿah.

This differs from the hadith of Abū Hurayrah, in which another account is mentioned. He said: “A man from the Anṣār became blind, so he sent word to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: ‘Come and mark out a mosque in my home, which I may take as a place of prayer.’ The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came, and his people gathered around him, while one man among them remained behind. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Where is so-and-so?’ One of the people gestured about him and said: ‘Indeed, he is such-and-such!’ The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Did he not take part in Badr?’ They said: ‘Indeed he did, O Messenger of Allah, but he is such-and-such and such-and-such.’ He said: ‘Perhaps Allah …’”

This is how Ibn Ḥibbān narrated it through his authentic chain from Ḥammād ibn Salamah. Likewise, it was narrated by