“Truthful, but prone to errors, and he relates mursal reports.”

I say: I fear that this addition may be one of his errors, although it is supported elsewhere. Malik (3/139) said: From ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sa‘sa‘ah, from his father, from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Soon the best property of a Muslim will be sheep which he takes to the mountain peaks and places where rain falls, fleeing with his faith from tribulations.”

Through Malik’s route, it was transmitted by al-Bukhari (nos. 19, 3300, and 7088), Abu Dawud (4267), al-Nasa’i (2/272–273), Ibn Hibban (5927—al-Ihsan), and Ahmad (3/43 and 57).

Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah also narrated it from Ibn Abi Sa‘sa‘ah through the same chain. It was transmitted by Ahmad (3/6), al-Humaydi (733), and Abu Ya‘la (2/983).

A number of others also corroborated him in narrating it from him through the same chain. It was transmitted by al-Bukhari (3600 and 6495), Ahmad (3/30), Ibn Abi Shaybah (15/10), and Ibn Majah (3980).

The hadith also has another route from Abu Sa‘id with the same wording, but without the phrase concerning tribulations. It was transmitted by the two Shaykhs and others, and its documentation has preceded under no. 1531.

I had previously cited Abu Sa‘id’s hadith above under no. 51, abridging its text and mentioning its sources. In view of the aforementioned addition to the hadith under discussion, it occurred to me to discuss it more fully and usefully, Allah Most High willing.