Both of them marked him as a narrator from whom Muslim transmitted, stating this without qualification! In fact, Muslim narrated from him only in conjunction with Thābit al-Bunānī, as recorded in al-Jamʿ bayna Rijāl al-Ṣaḥīḥayn (1/358–359).

I say: Thus, he is suitable for supporting evidence, and this may be what al-Dhahabī intended. Allah, exalted is He, knows best.

Moreover, he has been corroborated, though the corroboration is flimsy; yet, if it is of no benefit, it causes no harm. So let us mention it. Ibn Kathīr said in his Tafsīr, after citing Ahmad’s narration:

“A singular hadith. ʿAlī ibn Zayd ibn Judʿān has objectionable narrations, but Ibn Abī Ḥātim transmitted it by another route, saying …”

I say: He then cited its chain to Muḥammad ibn ʿUqbah al-Rifāʿī, from Ziyād al-Jaṣṣāṣ, from Abū ʿUthmān al-Nahdī, with a similar wording.

Ibn Kathīr made no comment on it, since its weakness is evident. For this Ziyād—namely, Ziyād ibn Abī Ziyād al-Jaṣṣāṣ—is unanimously deemed weak. No one declared him trustworthy except Ibn Ḥibbān, who included him in al-Thiqāt (6/320)! Even so, he said:

“He may at times have erred.”

Muḥammad ibn ʿUqbah is not well-known. Ibn Abī Ḥātim said (4/1/36):

“I asked my father about him, and he said: ‘A shaykh.’”

Ibn Kathīr then said:

“Related in meaning to this hadith is what al-Tirmidhī and others narrated through ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, from Sālim, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb: that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Whoever enters the marketplace …’”