Be aware that in all these narrations and routes, in every source to which we have referred them, the first of the three matters is given as “arrogance.” The sole exception is al-Tirmidhi’s narration from Saʿīd, where it appears as “hoarded treasure.” Al-Tirmidhi then said: “Ahmad said: ‘“Arrogance” is a scribal corruption; Ghandar, Muhammad ibn Jaʿfar, misread it in Saʿīd’s hadith: “Whose soul departs from his body ...” Rather, it is “hoarded treasure.”’”

I say: Muhammad ibn Jaʿfar’s narration is only from Shuʿbah—the fourth route from Qatādah. I therefore fear that what appears in al-Tirmidhi as “Saʿīd’s hadith” has been corrupted from “Shuʿbah’s hadith.” Muhammad ibn Jaʿfar’s narration from Shuʿbah is found in al-Musnad at the place indicated above, where it is paired with Ahmad’s narration from Bahz, from Shuʿbah. At its end, he states: “Bahz said: ‘And arrogance.’”

Hadith scholars make such a statement only when some narrators differ over a particular wording. This reflects their precision in transmission—may Allah reward them with the best reward. If what al-Tirmidhi relates from Imam Ahmad is correct—namely, that Ibn Jaʿfar misread this term and said “arrogance,” whereas the preserved wording is “hoarded treasure”—then I consider Ahmad’s statement at the end of the hadith, “Bahz said: ‘And arrogance,’” to contain an error. The correct wording should be: “And hoarded treasure,” since it was Ibn Jaʿfar who said “arrogance.” Otherwise, what is found in al-Musnad would contradict al-Tirmidhi’s citation from Ahmad. And Allah knows best.

In sum, whichever of these two possibilities is correct, the claim that Muhammad ibn Jaʿfar corrupted the word “arrogance” from “hoarded treasure” is refuted, on the one hand, by the other routes from Shuʿbah, and, on the other, by its agreement with the other routes. For all of them concur upon the first wording, “arrogance”—unless someone were to claim that every one of them was corrupted! No rational person could possibly make such a claim.