“And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, swayed to his right and to his left, until I saw ...”

Its chain of transmission is authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.

‘Abd Allah ibn Nafi‘ differed from them in the chain, reporting it from ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Abi Hazim, from his father, from ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr, from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar, as a Prophetic report with this wording. Ibn Jarir transmitted it.

‘Abd Allah ibn Nafi‘ was the Makhzumi known as the Goldsmith. There is some weakness in his retention. The hadith master stated in al-Taqrib: “Trustworthy, with a sound written record, though there is some weakness in his memory.”

I say: He differed from them by mentioning ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr in place of ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Miqsam. ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr was the trustworthy Meccan Laythi narrator, and one of the narrators used by both al-Bukhari and Muslim. Thus, if he retained it correctly, the chain is authentic. And Allah knows best.

I then found a strong corroborating transmission for him in al-Tabarani (12/389/13437) and Ibn Mandah (2/101/248), through the route of ‘Ali ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, who said: al-Qa‘nabi [‘Abd Allah ibn Maslamah] narrated to us; ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Abi Hazim narrated to us with the same chain.

Ishaq ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Talhah also corroborated Abu Hazim, reporting from ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Miqsam, from Ibn ‘Umar, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, once recited this verse from the minbar:

“They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal. On the Day of Resurrection, the whole earth will be within His grasp, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and far above what they associate with Him.” [Surah al-Zumar, 39:67]

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then gestured with his hand, moving it back and forth, as the Lord glorified Himself, saying: “I am the Compeller; I am the Supreme; I am the Mighty; I am the Generous.” The minbar shook beneath the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, until we said: “It will surely collapse with him.”