Later, however, a difficulty in the text of the hadith became apparent to me: it contains a materially deficient abridgement, which I explained in al-Ḍaʿīfah (6102). See it there.

Jarīr also narrated it from al-Aʿmash in an abridged form, with the wording:

“Indeed, Iblīs’s throne is upon the sea. He dispatches his detachments, and they tempt people; the greatest of them in his estimation is the one who causes the greatest temptation.”

Muslim recorded it.

The second route: Abū al-Zubayr, from Jābir, who narrated it in abridged form like Jarīr’s narration.

It was recorded by Muslim (8/139) and Aḥmad (3/332, 366, and 384). In one version recorded by Aḥmad, Abū al-Zubayr explicitly stated that he heard it directly.

The third route: Wahb ibn Munabbih said: Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allah informed me that he heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ... and he mentioned it.

Ibn Ḥibbān recorded it in his Ṣaḥīḥ (no. 6154, al-Iḥsān).

I say: Its chain of transmission is authentic.

The fourth route: Māʿiz al-Tamīmī, from Jābir, in a report attributed to the Prophet.

Aḥmad recorded it (3/354).

I say: Its narrators are trustworthy, except for this Māʿiz. Al-Ḥāfiẓ said in al-Taʿjīl:

“He is unknown. He is not Māʿiz ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-ʿĀmirī, whom Ibn Ḥibbān includes among the trustworthy Followers.”