Secondly, Muslim related it through the route of ʿAbd al-Razzāq and others, so attributing it to him would have been more appropriate. Thirdly, al-Bukhārī does not contain the words: “and He made them wholesome for us!”

The hadith has another chain: Muʿādh ibn Hishām narrated from his father, from Qatādah, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, from Abū Hurayrah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “One of the prophets went forth to battle with his companions…” The hadith continues at length, ending with: “Allah fed us the spoils of war as a mercy He showed us and an alleviation He granted us, because He knew our weakness.” Ibn Ḥibbān related it in full in his Ṣaḥīḥ (7/149/4787), as did al-Nasāʾī in al-Kubrā (5/8878 and 6/352/11208). I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission according to the criteria of al-Bukhārī and Muslim. Its complete wording and a more thorough documentation than that given here have already appeared in the first volume (no. 202).

2743 — “A pledge of allegiance will be given to a man between the Corner and the Station. None but its own people will violate the sanctity of the House; and when they do so, do not ask about the destruction of the Arabs. Then the Abyssinians will come and demolish it so completely that it will never be rebuilt thereafter. They are the ones who will bring forth its treasure.”

Ibn Abī Shaybah related it in al-Muṣannaf (15/52–53), as did al-Ḥākim (4/452–453), al-Azraqī in Tārīkh Makkah (1/278), al-Baghawī in al-Jaʿdiyyāt (2/1005/2911)—from whom al-Dhahabī related it in Siyar al-Aʿlām (2/146)—al-Ṭayālisī (2373), and Aḥmad (2/291, 312, 328, and 351), through various routes from Ibn Abī Dhiʾb.