- Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Ja'far, Abu al-Shaykh, the author of al-Tabaqat, who gave al-'Assal a favourable biographical notice therein (2/355). The fact that these hadith masters narrated from him inspires confidence that he was truthful, Allah willing.
As for his father, Sulayman ibn Yusuf al-'Uqayli, Abu Nu'aym included his biography in al-Akhbar (1/334), through the narration of his son from him, from al-Nu'man ibn Abd al-Salam, with another chain attributed to the Prophet from Ibn Mas'ud: “The best of my community is my generation...” the hadith. He said: “He died in the year 241 AH.” He mentioned neither criticism nor accreditation concerning him. Thus, he is an unassessed narrator, and may be cited as corroborative evidence. And Allah knows best.
Accordingly, through this corroborating transmission from Sulayman ibn Yusuf al-'Uqayli for Ibrahim ibn Ayyub, the hadith rises to the rank of good; for Abu al-'Awwam—who was 'Imran ibn Dawud al-Qattan—was described by al-Hafiz as “truthful, though he makes mistakes.” Then, taken together with the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, the hadith of Humayd al-Tawil from Anas, and the hadith of Wa'il ibn Hujr, it rises to the rank of authentic, since none of their chains contains anyone accused of dishonesty.
Then I found that al-Hafiz al-Sakhawi said in al-Qawl al-Badi', following the hadith of Anas through the first route (pp. 39–40): “Al-Majd al-Lughawi mentioned that its chain is authentic, citing as proof that its narrators are relied upon in the two Sahihs. And Allah knows best. Abu Nu'aym also narrated it in the entry entitled ‘the Two Ahmads’ in Tarikh Isfahan—that is, by way of al-'Uqayli—and from Qatadah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said:”