He then narrated it (9021) through ʿAlī ibn Badhīmah, from Mujāhid, with the same wording.

I say: This is a strong corroborating transmission from ʿAlī ibn Badhīmah. Accordingly, al-Suyūṭī cited al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr in al-Durr al-Manthūr (1/264) as saying:

“This report attributed to the Companion is more authentic.”

I say: Ibn Kathīr mentioned this in his Tafsīr, under al-Baqarah (1/264), and there is no doubt about it. Yet the hadith under discussion has a strong supporting narration through another chain, from Abū Hurayrah, from the Prophet, who said:

“Whoever has intercourse with a menstruating woman, or approaches a woman anally, or goes to a soothsayer, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad.”

Its chain of transmission is good, and it is documented in al-Irwāʾ (7/68–69), Ādāb al-Zifāf (105–106), and elsewhere.

Know that the fact that the version attributed to the Companion is more authentic does not negate its attribution to the Prophet once that has been established. Rather, this supports and reinforces it, for it is exceedingly unlikely that reports would repeatedly describe something as disbelief when it has no basis in the sunnah. The same applies when reports repeatedly affirm its prohibition, as is clear to the scholars. Numerous hadiths have been transmitted concerning the prohibition of anal intercourse, including authentic and good reports, as well as others strengthened by corroboration. Many valuable reports of this kind have been documented by scholars, such as Ibn Kathīr in al-Tafsīr, Ibn Ḥajar in al-Talkhīṣ, and then al-Suyūṭī in al-Durr al-Manthūr (1/264–265). Yet I objected to his concluding his documentation of them by saying:

“The hadith masters have said of all the reports attributed to the Prophet in this chapter—numbering around twenty hadiths—that they are all weak, and that none of them is authentic; the reports attributed to the Companions are authentic.”

Glory be to Allah! How can this statement be sound? And this from al-Suyūṭī, who is known for his leniency—