for al-Farawī, whom Ibn Ḥibbān deemed weak, may in his view have belonged to those weak narrators of whom he says:

“He is not to be cited as proof except in reports in which he agrees with trustworthy narrators.”

His inclusion of this hadith in his Ṣaḥīḥ indicates this; otherwise, he would have been inconsistent. Yet inconsistency need not be ascribed when a sound explanation is possible, as is well known among the scholars from the maxim: “Seek an excuse for your brother.” And Allah knows best.

There is no contradiction between this hadith and the hadith of Ibn ʿUmar:

“O Allah, strengthen Islam through the dearer to You of these two men: Abū Jahl ibn Hishām or ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.”

Ibn Ḥibbān recorded it (2179—Mawārid), and it has corroborating reports, some of which I mentioned in Takhrīj al-Mishkāh (6036, second edition). Al-Ḥāfiẓ strengthened it (7/48) on the basis of its corroborating reports.

I say: There is no contradiction, since it is possible that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said this at first; then, when he saw Abū Jahl’s obstinacy and persistence in his hostility toward him, he prayed specifically for ʿUmar. Allah answered his supplication and strengthened His religion through him, as is well known from ʿUmar’s biography, may Allah be pleased with him. This is what ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, may Allah be pleased with him, explicitly stated:

“We have remained mighty ever since ʿUmar embraced Islam.”

It was recorded by al-Bukhārī (3684), Ibn Ḥibbān (6841—al-Iḥsān), Ibn Abī Shaybah in al-Muṣannaf (12/22–23), Ibn Saʿd (3/270), and others.

Al-Ḥākim included it as a supplementary report to the two Shaykhs (3/84), but he was mistaken concerning al-Bukhārī!