Al-Haythami said in al-Majma‘ (7/220): “It was narrated by Ahmad and al-Bazzar. The narrators in Ahmad’s chain are those of the Sahih, apart from Kamil ibn al-‘Ala’, who is trustworthy!”

I say: I have two comments on this:

First: al-Bazzar’s chain of transmission is the same as Ahmad’s.

Second: Abu Salih is not among the narrators of the Sahih.

Abu Salih was corroborated, for Sa‘id ibn Sim‘an said: I heard Abu Hurayrah seek refuge from the rule of boys and fools.

Sa‘id ibn Sim‘an said: Ibn Hasanah al-Juhani informed me that he asked Abu Hurayrah, “What will be the sign of that?” He replied: “Family ties will be severed, the one who leads astray will be obeyed, and the rightly guiding one will be disobeyed.”

Al-Bukhari narrated it in al-Adab al-Mufrad (66): Adam ibn Abi Iyas narrated to us: Ibn Abi Dhi’b narrated to us: Sa‘id narrated to us … with this report.

I say: Sa‘id ibn Sim‘an is trustworthy; thus, his hadith from Abu Hurayrah is authentic. It is attributed to the Companion but has the ruling of a report attributed to the Prophet, since such a matter cannot be stated merely on the basis of personal opinion, as is evident. It is also supported by the first route.

Likewise is what Malik ibn Zalim narrated. He said: I heard Abu Hurayrah say to Marwan ibn al-Hakam: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say:

“Indeed, the ruin of my Ummah will come at the hands of young foolish men from Quraysh.”

It was narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Tarikh (4/1/309), Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (8/251/6678) and al-Thiqat (5/388), al-Hakim (4/470 and 527), al-Tayalisi (2580), and Ahmad (2/299, 328, and 485). Al-Hakim said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi concurred with him!