As for Ibn Shawdhab’s statement, “He was seen …,” and so forth: its chain has a double break, for he did not live to meet Salman, who died in 106 or 107 AH.

The hadith has also been reported from Anas and al-Baraʾ in a fuller version than Qatadah’s narration. Its documentation will follow under no. (3243).*

3199—“Whenever he rose at night for tahajjud, he would pray two brief units of prayer.”

It was narrated by Abu ʿAwanah in his Sahih (2/331, second edition), and through his route by al-Asbahani in al-Targhib (2/782/1191), and by al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah (4/18/809)—who declared it authentic—and by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf (2/273), and through his route by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan (3/6), through Sulayman ibn Hayyan, from Hisham ibn Hassan, from Muhammad ibn Sirin, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: … and he then mentioned it as a report attributed to the Prophet.

I say: This is a sound chain of transmission, meeting Muslim’s criteria, although there is some criticism concerning Sulayman ibn Hayyan’s retention. Its wording has differed in transmission: some narrated it as an account of the Prophet’s action, while others narrated it as an instruction from him. This instruction, moreover, has been variously transmitted from Hisham ibn Hassan: some traced it to the Prophet, while others attributed it to the Companion. Abu Dawud and al-Bayhaqi regarded the latter as stronger.

As for the first version, Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated it—and Adam ibn Abi Iyas corroborated him—from Sulayman through this chain, as mentioned above, as an account of the Prophet’s action.

Al-Rabiʿ ibn Nafiʿ Abu Tawbah contradicted them, saying: “Sulayman ibn Hayyan narrated to us,” through this chain, as a report attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “When any of you rises at night, let him pray two brief units of prayer.”

Abu Dawud (1323) narrated it from al-Rabiʿ through this chain, and deemed it defective because it was attributed to the Companion, saying immediately afterward: