under discussion as narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah, in which we found no hidden defect. Perhaps for this reason, al-Hafiz remained silent about it in al-Talkhis, as mentioned above, and likewise in al-Fath (1/333). All of them agree in indicating that semen is pure, and the hadith under discussion is the clearest and strongest of them in this respect, as is evident. Therefore, the correct view is that it is pure—the view held by al-Shafi‘i, Ahmad, and the hadith scholars, as stated in al-Fath.

3173 — “Ibn al-Khattab acted rightly.”

In another narration: “Ibn al-Khattab spoke the truth.”

Ahmad narrated it (5/368): Muhammad ibn Ja‘far narrated to us: Shu‘bah narrated to us, from al-Azraq ibn Qays, from Abd Allah ibn Rabah, from a man among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the ‘Asr prayer. Then a man stood to pray [after it], and Umar saw him [and took hold of his cloak or garment] and said to him, “Sit down. The People of the Book were only ruined because there was no separation between their prayers.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) then said: … He mentioned it with the first wording.

Abu Ya‘la also narrated it in his Musnad (13/107/7166). He said: Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us: Muhammad narrated it to us through the same chain.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. All its narrators are trustworthy and meet Muslim’s criteria, except for the unnamed Companion; but that does no harm, since all the Companions are upright.

Shu‘bah was corroborated by Abd al-Razzaq, who said in al-Musannaf (2/432/3973): From Abd Allah ibn Sa‘id, who said: al-Azraq ibn Qays informed me; he said: I heard Abd Allah ibn Rabah al-Ansari relate it. The second narration, along with its additional details, is his.

This too is an authentic chain of transmission. Abd Allah ibn Sa‘id was Ibn Abi Hind al-Fazari, a trustworthy narrator from whom both al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated. Al-Hafiz al-Mizzi mentioned him among Abd al-Razzaq’s shaykhs.