of the Messenger of Allah?” ʿUmar then said, “We are content with Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion, Muhammad as our Prophet, and the Quran as our guide!” Thereupon, the distress of the Messenger of Allah was relieved, and he said:

“By Him in whose Hand is Muhammad’s soul! Were Moses to be among you, and you were then to follow him and forsake me, you would go far astray. You are my share among the nations, and I am your share among the prophets.”

This is how al-Haythami related it. He said:

“Al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Kabir. Its chain includes Abu ʿAmir al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Asadi, whose biography I have not seen; the rest of its narrators have been declared trustworthy.”

That is what he said. But it is open to objection on two grounds:

First: al-Bukhari (4/1/164) and Ibn Abi Hatim both gave a biography of this Abu ʿAmir, saying:

“Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad Abu ʿAmir heard from Sufyan al-Thawri, and Yahya ibn Wadih Abu Tamila narrated from him.”

Ibn Abi Hatim added:

“And Minjab ibn al-Harith.”

Neither of them mentioned any narrator criticism or accreditation concerning him. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in al-Thiqat (5/305) as follows:

“Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad Abu Nuhayk al-Asadi narrated from Anas ibn Malik, and Mansur and al-Thawri narrated from him.”

Thus, he listed him among the Successors, on account of his narration from Anas.