they found Ibn Sālim’s narration to corroborate that of Ibn Ṣāliḥ; since it came by a route other than al-Layth’s conflicting one, they gave it preference.

Put differently—and to clarify the basis for that correction—I say: they regarded al-Layth’s hadith as inconsistent in those three versions, relied on Ibn Sālim’s narration, which was free of such inconsistency, and then used the first version of al-Layth’s hadith, which agrees with it, to reinforce it.

This is the conclusion I have reached and set forth. “Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.” If I have been correct, it is by Allah’s grace; and if I have erred, it is from myself. I ask the Lord to forgive me my mistakes and my deliberate wrongs, for I am guilty of all of them. Indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The sum of the foregoing is that the hadith was narrated from Quhayd as mursal, and from him, from Abū Hurayrah, with a continuous chain to the Prophet—and this is the correct version—and that its chain of transmission is authentic.

It has also been narrated through another chain, related by al-ʿAlāʾ ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, from his father, from Abū Hurayrah, who said:

A man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “Messenger of Allah, what if a man comes intending to take my property?” He said, “Do not give him your property.” He said, “What if he fights me?” He said, “Fight him.” He said, “What if he kills me?” He said, “Then you are a martyr.” He said, “What if I kill him?” He said, “He is in the Fire.”

Muslim recorded it (1/87), as did Abū ʿAwānah in his Ṣaḥīḥ (1/43), Abū Nuʿaym in Akhbār Iṣbahān (Reports of Isfahan) (1/50), and al-Bayhaqī in al-Sunan (3/265–266 and 8/335–336).

There is also a corroborating report in the hadith of Qābūs ibn Mukhāriq, from his father, who said:

A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “A man comes to me wanting my property.” He said, “Remind him