Thus, he deliberately overlooked the statements of the Imams, who unanimously declared him trustworthy, and clung to Abū Dāwūd’s criticism of him on account of his doctrinal affiliation—even though he narrated from him in his Sunan. He knows that this does not impair his integrity or the soundness of his hadith according to the scholars, whether in their explicit statements or the rulings derived from them. Moreover, the hadith has no connection with the divine attributes, as will be shown from Ibn Taymiyyah.

Furthermore, as you have seen, he was corroborated in the first route. Thus, the aforementioned criticism would not harm him even if it were an attack on his trustworthiness. But such is the way of the followers of vain desires: they do not pursue scholarly inquiry with integrity; rather, they follow only that which accords with their desires. Allah is the One whose help is sought.

Be aware that in some of its routes this hadith contains another addition, with the wording:

“The heartland of the believers is Syria.”

I had previously traced its sources in the fourth volume (1935), so I have traced them again here for the hadith under discussion, adding this to my earlier tracing of it in al-Ḍaʿīfah (The Weak Hadiths), in the third volume (1097), where it was narrated from Abū Hurayrah. This is therefore a strong supporting narration for it from Salamah ibn Nufayl, which obliged me to document it here and point out that the hadith has thereby become authentic. All praise is due to Allah for granting success, and I ask Him for more of His bounty.

It appears that Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) held this hadith to be established. I found that he was asked in Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā (6/397–398) about the hadith, “The Black Stone is Allah’s right hand on earth,” and about this hadith. He declared the former weak, but not the latter, and explained its meaning, showing that this is apparent from its wording. He said:

“His mention of Yemen clarifies the intended meaning of the hadith. Yemen has no special connection with the attributes of Allah, Most High, such that this might be imagined. Rather, from there came those whom He loves and who love Him, those who...”