ʿAbd al-Malik—was a trustworthy, firmly reliable narrator whose reports are found in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, as stated in al-Taqrib. It therefore appears that Shuʿbah would sometimes narrate it as mursal and at other times relate it with a continuous chain to the Prophet. He was corroborated in this chain by ʿAbd al-Samad ibn ʿAbd al-Warith, who said: “Shuʿbah narrated to us,” with the same report.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded it in his Tafsir (3/13/1).

Further support for this report with a continuous chain to the Prophet is that Shuʿbah was corroborated in it by ʿAbd Allah ibn Idris, from his father, from Simak ibn Harb, with the same report.

Al-Bayhaqi recorded it in Dalaʾil al-Nubuwwah (5/351) through the route of ʿAbd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, who said: Abu Maʿmar narrated to us; ʿAbd Allah ibn Idris narrated to us, with the same report.

I say: This too is an authentic chain according to Muslim’s criteria, except for ʿAbd Allah ibn Ahmad, who is trustworthy; as are those below him in the chain.

The hadith also has corroborating reports:

First: Muʿawiyah ibn Hafs said: Abu Ziyad—that is, Ismaʿil ibn Zakariyya—narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Qays, from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, from Jabir, who said:

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about Allah’s saying, “Allah will bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him.” He said: “They are people from Yemen, then from Kindah, then from al-Sakun, then from Tujib.”

Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded it, as did al-Tabarani in al-Muʿjam al-Awsat (2/232/1414), whose wording is as follows:

“No one narrated it from Muhammad ibn Qays al-Asadi except Abu Ziyad; and no one narrated it from Abu Ziyad except Muʿawiyah. Abu Humayd was alone in transmitting it.”