“The basis for al-Bukhari’s position regarding him is the statement of his teacher, ‘Ali [ibn al-Madini]. As for Ibn Ma‘in’s statement, he did not explain it; perhaps he meant a particular hadith. Even so, al-Bukhari did not narrate anything from him without its having a supporting narration or a corroborating report.”

He then mentioned for him a supporting narration and a corroborating report, as will follow; thus the hadith is strengthened. Otherwise, his defense of him is unconvincing. Indeed, his bias in al-Bukhari’s favor regarding him is apparent, for he overlooked the statements of other leading scholars concerning him which he cited in al-Tahdhib. Abu Hatim said:

“He has some weakness. His hadith may be recorded, but not used as proof.”

Al-Dhahabi relied on this in al-Kashif, mentioning no other assessment.

Ibn ‘Adi said:

“Some of what he narrates is rejected and has no supporting narration; nevertheless, he is among the weak narrators whose hadith is recorded.” (1)

Al-Hafiz himself summarized this in al-Taqrib, saying:

“Truthful, but makes errors.”

This means that, in his classification, he belongs to the fifth rank—as he explained in the introduction—which consists of those whose hadith may be elevated to hasan through other reports. Thus, the more likely implication of his earlier statement in al-Fath is that al-Bukhari only narrated from him in supporting narrations and corroborating reports.

It should be noted that I have reservations about this unqualified statement. And Allah knows best.

As for the supporting narration, it is Abu ‘Uthman from ‘Abd Allah ibn Dinar, relating the same report.