I say: This is how it appears in the original: it does not contain “Ibn Zuhr,” though he is mentioned in the two previous sources, in the narration of Yaḥyā ibn Ayyūb from him, from Layth. Allah knows best.

In sum, even if these routes do not add further strength to the first chain, they will not weaken it.

It also has a corroborating report from the hadith of Jābir, may Allah be pleased with him, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording:

“People will come to you seeking knowledge; so welcome them, give them glad tidings, and draw them near.”

Al-Rāmahurmuzī recorded it through Zunbūr al-Kūfī, who said: Rawwād ibn al-Jarrāḥ narrated to us, from al-Minhāl ibn ʿAmr, from an unnamed man, from him.

This is a weak chain, due to the unnamed man; moreover, I have found no biographical notice for Zunbūr. Reliance is therefore upon what has preceded.

The hadith also has two further routes from Abū Saʿīd, as well as another corroborating report from Abū Hurayrah, with very feeble chains. I have therefore dispensed with mentioning them, since what we have cited is sufficient. I have discussed one of the two routes just mentioned in our annotation to al-Aḥkām al-Kubrā by ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq al-Ishbīlī (hadith no. 71), and he declared it authentic.

Then I found another corroborating report for the hadith. Al-Dārimī (1/99) said: Ismāʿīl ibn Abān informed us; Yaʿqūb—that is, al-Qummī—narrated to us, from ʿĀmir ibn Ibrāhīm, who said:

“Whenever Abū al-Dardāʾ saw students of knowledge, he would say: ‘Welcome, O students of knowledge.’ He would also say: ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, enjoined us to care for you.’”

I say: The narrators of this chain have been declared trustworthy, apart from ʿĀmir ibn Ibrāhīm, whom I have not identified. He is not ʿĀmir ibn Wāqid al-Iṣfahānī, for the former was among the shaykhs of al-Qummī, who died in 174 AH, whereas the latter was among those who narrated from al-Qummī and died in 202 AH—unless this is an instance of senior narrators transmitting from junior ones. Allah knows best.