while working on compiling its index, which I am now on the point of completing, that its copies differ. One should therefore consult Tartīb al-Thiqāt (Arrangement of The Reliable Narrators) by al-Haythamī, for it sometimes contains additions not found in the printed edition, while at other times it has omissions in comparison with it.
Al-Ḥāfiẓ then related that al-Bukhārī said of him: “He is, in principle, truthful, except that he narrates from weak individuals.” However, he also mentioned that Abū Dāwūd deemed him weak, as did Ibn Maʿīn and others. Thus, one cannot confidently rely on his hadith as proof unless it agrees with the trustworthy narrators. This hadith is of that kind, for it has a supporting narration from the hadith of Ibn ʿAbbās in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and elsewhere (1). Its documentation is given in al-Irwāʾ (3/34/579/2). Thus, the hadith is unquestionably authentic; but whether Ibn Masʿūd narrated it is open to consideration, in light of what has been mentioned concerning Ibn ʿAbd al-Quddūs.
After attributing it to the two Muʿjams, al-Haythamī said (2/161): “Its chain includes ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd al-Quddūs. Ibn Maʿīn and al-Nasāʾī deemed him weak, while Ibn Ḥibbān declared him trustworthy. Al-Bukhārī said: ‘Truthful, except that he narrates from weak individuals.’” I say: Yet he narrated this from al-Aʿmash, who is trustworthy.
Al-Shawkānī inclined toward strengthening the hadith, as did al-Ḥāfiẓ before him in al-Fatḥ (2/24), for he stated it categorically. Al-Shawkānī (3/183) answered the preceding criticism by saying: “He was criticized only because of his narrations from weak individuals.” He then cited al-Bukhārī’s statement concerning him and added: