“The narrator from Muṭarrif is not well-known, and the recognized narration in this matter is that of Muḥammad ibn Ṭalḥah al-Ṭawīl from Abū Suhayl.”

Al-Ḥāfiẓ mentioned this in the biography of this “... al-Numayrī al-Baṣrī” in al-Lisān.

He then followed it with another biography, saying:

“ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Khwārizmī ...”

He then mentioned some of his teachers and some of those who narrated from him, after which he cited what Abū Nuʿaym said in his biography in Akhbār Iṣbahān (2/52):

“He came to Iṣbahān and narrated hadiths there; his reports contain objectionable material.”

Al-Ḥāfiẓ commented on this, saying:

“I say: It is possible that he is the preceding [al-Numayrī al-Baṣrī], for they belong to the same generation.”

I say: This is a strong possibility. However, he overlooked the fact that Ibn Ḥibbān listed this al-Khwārizmī in al-Thiqāt (8/367) and said:

“He narrated from Abū Nuʿaym, and the people of Khurāsān narrated from him. He died in the year 267 AH. At times, he narrated anomalous reports.”

I say: Once you recognize the weakness of this route offered as corroboration, as well as that of the preceding route of Ibn al-Munkadir, the error in the statement of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir Badrān—may Allah have mercy on him—in Tahdhīb Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir (7/240–241), following the hadith, becomes clear. Referring to the route of Mālik and others, he said:

“It was narrated through multiple routes, some of which strengthen others.”