Second: Abu Mu‘awiyah Muhammad ibn Khazim narrated to us from al-A‘mash, with the same chain, except that he said:

“... a man will be brought ...” the hadith.

It was transmitted by Ahmad (5/170), Muslim as well—though he did not cite its wording—al-Tirmidhi in The Sunan (8/261/2599), Ibn Hibban (9/233/7331, al-Ihsan), and Ibn Jarir in his Exegesis (19/30), except that he said:

“... He said: A man will be brought ...”

Al-Tirmidhi said:

“A good, authentic hadith.”

Third: Abu Yahya al-Himmani said: al-A‘mash narrated to us, with the same chain and wording like that of Ibn Numayr. Abu ‘Awanah transmitted it.

Abu Yahya’s name was ‘Abd al-Hamid ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Himmani. He was truthful, though prone to error, and was among the narrators of the two Shaykhs.

Thus, the reports from al-A‘mash differ concerning the text of this hadith. Ibn Numayr and al-Himmani said:

“... the last of the people of the Fire to emerge from it: a man will be brought ...”

Its apparent meaning is that the man who is brought is the first man mentioned before, and this is highly problematic, as will be explained.

Abu Mu‘awiyah, however, said:

“... a man will be brought.”