And similarly, the annotator of Musnad Abī Yaʿlā cited this version of Shurayk in his documentation of the hadith over approximately a page, without pointing out that it is anomalous—rather, rejected.

Yes, the hadith has an authentic supporting report from Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq with similar wording, which adds to its strength. It has been referenced earlier under no. 1564, and in Takhrīj al-Aḥādīth al-Mukhtārah, nos. 59–60—especially since one version recorded by al-Bayhaqī reads: “They are able to effect change, but do not do so.” Its narrators are trustworthy.

Note: From the source documentation, I learned that Abū Dāwūd recorded the hadith, like the other compilers, through Abū Isḥāq, from ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Jarīr … Ibn Kathīr attributed it to him in his Tafsīr (1/74, al-Tijāriyyah edition) through this route, but it appears there as: “from al-Mundhir ibn Jarīr”! This is perhaps a typographical error. And Allah knows best. *******

3354—The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would take Usāmah ibn Zayd and al-Ḥasan and say: “O Allah, I love them, so love them.”

It was recorded by al-Bukhārī (3735 and 3747), Aḥmad (5/210), Ibn Abī Shaybah likewise in al-Muṣannaf (12/98/12232), Ibn Saʿd in al-Ṭabaqāt (4/62), and al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (3/39/2642), through several routes from al-Muʿtamir—except for al-Ṭabarānī, who narrated it from Hawdhah ibn Khalīfah; this is also a version recorded by Ibn Saʿd. Both narrated from Sulaymān al-Taymī, who said: Abū ʿUthmān narrated to us from Usāmah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he would take Usāmah and al-Ḥasan … and so forth.

Hawdhah’s wording is: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would take me and al-Ḥasan, seating one of us on his right thigh and the other on his left thigh, and would say … then he cited it.