Ahmad transmitted it (13/12 and 44) through two chains. The first contains a break between Yaḥyā ibn Abī Kathīr and Abū Rifāʿah, whose identity is unknown; he is also said to have been named Rifāʿah. The other contains ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, who is abandoned.

The portion concerning a sip of water has many supporting reports, including the hadith of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr recorded by Ibn Ḥibbān (883) with a good chain of transmission. I have cited its sources in abridged form in al-Ḍaʿīfah under hadith 1405.

Thus, al-Mundhirī’s statement concerning the hadith of Abū Saʿīd (2/94/10), “Ahmad narrated it, and its chain of transmission is strong,” is untenable. Al-Nājī likewise refuted it, as I have quoted from him in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb, though he overlooked pointing out the defect in the first chain. *

3410—“May this knowledge bring you joy, Abū al-Mundhir! By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, it has a tongue and two lips that sanctify the King at the leg of the Throne.” That is, Ayat al-Kursi.

ʿAbd al-Razzāq transmitted it in al-Muṣannaf (3/370/6001): Al-Thawrī informed us, from Saʿīd al-Jurayrī, from Abū al-Salīl, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Rabāḥ, from Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Which verse in the Book of Allah is greatest?”

He replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best,” repeating this several times. Then Ubayy said, “Ayat al-Kursi,” whereupon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said the words cited above.

Through ʿAbd al-Razzāq’s route, it was also transmitted by Ahmad (5/141–142) and Ibn al-Ḍurays in Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān (90/186).

Ibn Abī Shaybah corroborated him: ʿAbd al-Aʿlā ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā narrated to us, from al-Jurayrī, through the same chain, in full.