Ahmad recorded it (2/72)—and this is his wording—as did Ibn Abi Asim in al-Sunnah (1/240/546), and Ibn Khuzaymah as well, through various routes from Hammad ibn Salamah, from him.

Its chain of transmission is authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah cited the hadith in al-Fatawa (5/481), with the addition of some of the Most Beautiful Names and the words:

“I am the One who originated the world when it was nothing; I am the One who will restore it.”

He said:

“It was narrated by Ibn Mandah, Ibn Khuzaymah, Uthman ibn Sa‘id al-Darimi, Sa‘id ibn Mansur, and others among the eminent hadith imams, memorizers, critics, and leading authorities.”

I have not found this addition mentioned in any of the earlier sources. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows best. *

3197 — “A two-faced person is not fit to be trusted.”

Al-Bukhari recorded it in al-Adab al-Mufrad (313): Khalid ibn Makhlad narrated to us; he said: Sulayman ibn Bilal narrated to us, from Ubayd Allah ibn Salman, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: ... then he cited it.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. Its narrators are reliable and are among those used by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, except Ubayd Allah ibn Salman—who is al-Agharr—for he is among al-Bukhari’s narrators.

Khalid ibn Makhlad has some denounced reports, as Ahmad and others stated, and he was contradicted in its chain of transmission by someone more reliable than him. Al-Khara’iti said in Evil Traits of Character (138/292): Ahmad narrated to us: