Mansur also corroborated al-A‘mash’s narration, reporting it from Abu Wa’il; it includes the account of the spoils of Hunayn.

It appears that Imam Ahmad—may Allah have mercy on him—followed the narration of ‘Asim ibn Bahdalah with Shu‘bah’s narration as corroboration for the addition found in his report, in order to affirm its authenticity. And Allah knows best.

Some narrators, however, abridged the hadith under discussion in a seriously misleading manner, making it appear that the words, “O Allah, forgive …,” were not related by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as the words of that prophet, but were spoken by him, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning his own people. Thus Muhammad ibn Fulayh narrated from Musa ibn ‘Uqbah, from al-Zuhri, from Sahl ibn Sa‘d, in a report attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the same wording.

It was recorded by Ibn Abi ‘Asim in al-Ahad wa al-Mathani (4/123/2096), Abu Yusuf al-Fasawi in al-Ma‘rifah (1/338), Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (2/160/969/al-Ihsan), and al-Tabarani in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir (6/146/5694), through various routes from him.

Al-Bayhaqi likewise narrated it in al-Shu‘ab (2/164/1448).

I say: Its narrators are trustworthy and are narrators used by al-Bukhari, except for Muhammad ibn Fulayh, concerning whom there is criticism on account of his retention. Al-Hafiz indicated this in his Taqrib, saying:

“Truthful, but makes mistakes.”

Then I found what I had considered likely above stated explicitly in al-Bayhaqi’s narration of the hadith in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah. He cited it at length (3/206–215) in the account of the Battle of Uhud, through this same Ibn Fulayh, but al-Zuhri is not mentioned in its chain of transmission.

It therefore appears to me—and Allah knows best—that this supplication by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, for his people is established, for there are several narrations to that effect. I shall cite such of them as I can.