So I asked Saʿid, “Why did he do that?” He replied, “I asked Ibn ʿAbbas the same question you have asked me, and he said: ‘He wished not to impose hardship upon anyone of his community.’” Muslim and al-Bayhaqi transmitted it.

It is further strengthened by the narration of ʿAmr ibn Hurm from Saʿid, with the wording: “Ibn ʿAbbas combined the noon and afternoon prayers because of some pressing occupation, and Ibn ʿAbbas maintained ...” He then mentioned the hadith with similar wording. Al-Nasaʾi transmitted it with an authentic chain. Thus, his words, “because of some pressing occupation,” are clear evidence that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not combine the prayers because of rain; otherwise Ibn ʿAbbas would not have cited it as proof, as is apparent. And Allah knows best.

Abu al-Nuʿman’s addition may also be declared defective because it contradicts the forthcoming narration of Sufyan ibn ʿUyaynah.

The other matter is that Sufyan ibn ʿUyaynah added, from ʿAmr ibn Dinar, from Jabir ibn Zayd, from Ibn ʿAbbas: “I said: ‘O Abu al-Shaʿthaʾ’—the kunyah of Jabir—‘I think that he delayed the noon prayer and brought the afternoon prayer forward, and delayed the sunset prayer and brought the night prayer forward.’ He replied: ‘I think so too.’” Ibn Abi Shaybah transmitted it in al-Musannaf (2/456), and Muslim transmitted it from him: “Ibn ʿUyaynah narrated it to us.” ʿAli ibn ʿAbd Allah also corroborated him, saying: “Sufyan narrated it to us.” Al-Bukhari transmitted it (1174).

Qutaybah differed from them, saying: “Sufyan narrated it to us,” but he said: “... he delayed the noon prayer ...” and so forth. He inserted it into the hadith and made it part of Ibn ʿAbbas’s statement, whereas it was in fact Abu al-Shaʿthaʾ’s own conjectural statement.