The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, became intensely angry at this. While he was considering launching an expedition against them, the delegation came to him and said:

“O Messenger of Allah, we heard that your envoy had returned from halfway along the road. We feared that perhaps a message had reached him from you because of some anger you had felt toward us. We seek refuge in Allah from the anger of Allah and the anger of His Messenger!”

The Messenger of Allah asked them to make amends (!) and was about to act against them, whereupon Allah revealed their exoneration in the Book:

“O you who believe, if a wicked person comes to you with some news, verify it, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and then become regretful for what you have done.” [al-Hujurat: 6]

It was recorded by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his Exegesis (25/78), and by al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan (9/54–55)—the wording being his—through the chain of ‘Atiyyah ibn Sa‘d, from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said ... and then cited it.

I say: This chain of transmission is weak, owing to the weakness of ‘Atiyyah and some of those below him. However, it has corroborating reports that indicate its authenticity:

First: What Musa ibn ‘Ubaydah narrated from Thabit, the client of Umm Salamah, from Umm Salamah, who said:

“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent a man concerning the alms of Banū al-Muṣṭaliq ...” A similar hadith.

It was recorded by Ibn Jarir.

Musa ibn ‘Ubaydah is weak.

Second: What Ya‘qub ibn Humayd narrated: ‘Isa ibn al-Hadrami ibn Kulthum ibn ‘Alqamah ibn Najiyah ibn al-Harith al-Khuza‘i narrated to us, from his grandfather Kulthum, from his father ‘Alqamah, who said: