that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent Muʿadh to Yemen. He said, “O Messenger of Allah, counsel me.” He replied: …

He then cited it.

I say: This chain of transmission consists of trustworthy narrators, all of whom are narrators of the two Sahihs, though Sharik ibn ʿAbdullah—namely Ibn Abi Namr al-Madani—was weak in retention. Al-Dhahabi said in al-Mughni:

“Truthful.”

Al-Hafiz added:

“He makes mistakes.”

I say: However, it is mursal, for ʿAtaʾ did not meet Muʿadh. Hence al-Mundhiri said in al-Targhib (4/75/14):

“Al-Tabarani narrated it with a good chain of transmission, except that ʿAtaʾ did not live to meet Muʿadh. Al-Bayhaqi also narrated it, inserting between them an unnamed man.”

Al-Haythami abbreviated his remarks and said in Majmaʿ al-Zawaʾid (10/74):

“Al-Tabarani narrated it, and its chain of transmission is good!”

I say: How, then, can it be good? The reason is plain.

As for the narration of al-Bayhaqi to which al-Mundhiri referred, I have not come across it at present. However, I have found two other routes from Muʿadh in his Kitab al-Zuhd (347–348). One of them, no. 957, is through ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn al-Huwayrith, from Muhammad ibn Jubayr—may Allah be pleased with him—who said:

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent Muʿadh to Yemen. When the time for his departure arrived, the Prophet came to bid him farewell. Muʿadh said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am setting out, so admonish me.” He replied: …

He then cited it.