I say: This is a useful observation from ʿAbdullah—namely, ʿAbdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abi al-Aswad al-Basri, one of al-Bukhari’s teachers—who was a trustworthy hadith master.

The hadith also has a corroborating narration from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri to the same effect. It was recorded by al-Tahawi in Sharh al-Maʿani (2/234) and by Ahmad (3/45), through the route of Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib, from him. Its chain of transmission is authentic.

Muslim (5/48) and al-Bayhaqi (5/296) also recorded it through the route of Abu Nadrah, from him, in similar wording. Al-Bukhari and Muslim, as well as others, recorded it through another route from Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib, from both Abu Saʿid and Abu Hurayrah, in wording similar to it but more complete. It has been documented in Irwaʾ al-Ghalil (5/190/1340) and Ahadith al-Buyuʿ.

Notes:

First: Ahmad, al-Tabarani’s teacher who narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Tasnim, is Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sadaqah Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He was a trustworthy hadith master, while his teacher, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Tasnim, was truthful. For this reason, al-Haythami graded its chain as good, as will follow. His name became merged with that of his teacher, so that he was made into his son in the facsimile of Majmaʿ al-Bahrayn, appearing thus: “Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Tasnim”! Its editor failed to notice this, and it consequently appeared likewise in his printed edition (4/20/2027)! As a result, he could not find his biographical entry, nor could he find the hadith in al-Muʿjam al-Awsat!!

Moreover, his annotation on it contains a textual corruption and an omission when he gave the biographical entry for Kathir ibn Yasar;