3040 — “He would combine the prayers while travelling.”

Al-Bazzar recorded it in his Musnad (1/330–331): Ibrahim ibn Hani’ related to us: Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahib related to us: Abu Shihab related from ‘Awf, from Abu Nadrah, from Abu Sa‘id, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, … and he mentioned it. He said:

“We know of no route for it from Abu Sa‘id other than this one, and Muhammad is trustworthy and well known for his devotion.”

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission; all its narrators are trustworthy. Abu Shihab’s name was ‘Abd Rabbih ibn Nafi‘, and he and those above him are among the narrators of Sahih Muslim. The two narrators below him are trustworthy, as was explained shortly before under hadith 3038. This also provides us with an important point: al-Bazzar’s attestation that Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahib was trustworthy. It should be added to the attestations of Ibn Hibban and the others whom I mentioned there. Moreover, the recurrence of this name here confirms what I considered more likely there: the correct form is ‘Abd al-Wahib, not ‘Abd al-Wahhab. Take note.

I had mentioned there that al-Haythami was unaware of his status and that of Ibrahim, who narrated from him. Perhaps the matter became clear to him later, for after al-Bazzar’s statement attesting to Muhammad’s trustworthiness, he commented (2/199):

“I say: The rest of its narrators are trustworthy.”

Through this same route, al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat with a fuller wording. He said (2/205/1): Musa ibn Harun related to us: Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahib al-Harithi related to us, through the same chain. Its wording is:

“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, combined the noon and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers. He delayed the sunset prayer and brought the night prayer forward, then performed them both together.” He said: