especially since it has also been narrated as attributed to the Prophet through Abd al-Rahman ibn Salamah: Abu Rahm related to them that Abu Ayyub related to them that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said it in similar terms. Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (4/154/3889), and through him Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi recorded it in al-Sunan (fol. 93/2), by way of Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn Ayyash: My father informed us, from Damdam ibn Zur'ah, from Shurayh ibn Ubayd, who said: Abd al-Rahman ibn Salamah used to relate it.

I say: This is a weak chain of transmission. I have found no biographical notice for this Ibn Salamah, and Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn Ayyash is weak. Both, however, have been corroborated. Maslamah ibn Ali narrated it from Zayd ibn Waqid and Hisham ibn al-Ghaz, from Makhul, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Salamah, with the same report. Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Kabir (4/153–154/3887 and 3888), in Musnad al-Shamiyyin (pp. 307 and 676), and in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat (1/72/1—Majma' al-Bahrayn); and through him al-Maqdisi recorded it in al-Sunan (fol. 198/1). Al-Tabarani said: “No one narrated it from Makhul except Zayd and Hisham; Maslamah alone narrated it.”

I say: He is al-Khushani, an abandoned narrator, as stated in al-Taqrib. After attributing it to the two Mu'jams, al-Haythami said in al-Majma' (2/327): “...and he is weak.” I say: The preceding route is better than this one, yet al-Haythami did not mention it! I had documented both in al-Da'ifah (864), before coming across the first authentic report attributed to the Companion; it is therefore necessary to transfer them from there to here. Likewise, the hadith found there (863), narrated from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, is to be transferred here, because it concerns the presentation of deeds to the dead, at the end of the hadith under discussion. And Allah knows best.