Al-Bayhaqi said after citing the hadith:

“This indicates that one’s fear should not be such as to make him despair and lose hope of Allah’s mercy, just as one’s hope should not be such as to make him feel secure from Allah’s plan or embolden him to disobey Allah, exalted is He.”

Hammad ibn Salamah narrated the hadith from Muhammad ibn Ziyad, who said: I heard Abu Hurayrah say: I heard Abu al-Qasim say: … He then mentioned its opening passage and its closing words:

“Receive glad tidings …”

Ahmad recorded it (2/467).

Ahmad also recorded it (2/257, 313, 418, 432, 453, and 502), as did al-Bukhari (6485 and 6637); through al-Bukhari’s route, al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan (10/26); Ibn Hibban (7/519/5763); al-Tirmidhi (4/231); and Ibn Hibban again (8/249/6671), through other routes from Abu Hurayrah, containing only the first half. Al-Tirmidhi said:

“A good, authentic hadith.”

In the latter place, Ibn Hibban added, through the route of Khalid ibn Abdullah al-Ziyadi, from Abu Uthman, from him:

“Hypocrisy will become manifest, trustworthiness will be removed, mercy will be withdrawn, the trustworthy will be accused, and the untrustworthy will be entrusted. The dark, looming threat will descend upon you.” They asked, “What is the dark, looming threat, Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Trials like pieces of a dark night.”

Al-Hakim likewise recorded it (4/579) and said:

“Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him!