I say: He is known for concealment in transmission and for omitting links; thus, unless he explicitly states that he received the report, his narration is interrupted—especially since ʿAmr ibn ʿAbasah is not mentioned among the few Companions from whom he heard.

Moreover, his statement, “its narrators have been declared trustworthy,” is open to criticism, for it suggests that some of them have been subject to criticism, whereas this is not the case—particularly with the narrators in Aḥmad’s chain, all of whom are trustworthy. The wording of al-Ḥāfiẓ is therefore more precise and more correct.

Al-Haythamī said concerning the hadith under discussion:

“Al-Ṭabarānī and al-Bazzār narrated it with similar wording. The narrators in al-Bazzār’s chain are narrators of the Ṣaḥīḥ, apart from Muḥammad ibn Hārūn Abū Nashīṭ, who is trustworthy.”

Al-Mundhirī said (4/80–81/41):

“Al-Bazzār and al-Ṭabarānī narrated it—the wording being al-Ṭabarānī’s—and its chain is sound and strong. Shatab has been listed among the Companions by more than one scholar. However, al-Baghawī mentioned in his Muʿjam that the correct version, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr, is a mursal report: ‘A tall, lanky man came to the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—...’

In the language, shatab means ‘elongated’; but some narrators corrupted it and imagined it to be the name of a man. And Allah knows best.”

I say: This declaration of the report as defective is untenable, for it is merely an assertion that a trustworthy narrator erred, without evidence or proof. What al-Ḥāfiẓ reports from al-Baghawī is that he said: “I think that the correct version is ...” This is closer to what I have stated. And Allah knows best.

3392—“By Allah, this world is more insignificant to Allah than this lamb is to its owners. So let me not find that it has destroyed any one of you.”

Al-Bazzār related it in his Musnad (4/268/3690—al-Kashf): Muḥammad ibn