306 — “When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was taken by night to al-Aqsa Mosque, people began speaking about it. Some who had believed in him and affirmed him apostatized, and they hastened to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: ‘What do you make of your companion? He claims that he was taken by night to Jerusalem last night.’ He said: ‘Did he say that?’ They replied: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘If he said it, then he has spoken the truth.’ They said: ‘Do you believe him that he went to Jerusalem last night and returned before morning?’ He said: ‘Yes. Indeed, I believe him concerning what is even more extraordinary than that: I believe him regarding the report from heaven, morning and evening.’ It was for this reason that Abu Bakr was called al-Siddiq.”

Al-Hakim recorded it (3/62) through the chain: Muhammad ibn Kathir al-Sanʿani narrated to us; Maʿmar ibn Rashid narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, from ʿUrwah, from ʿAʾishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: He then mentioned it.

He said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him.

I say: This is open to question, for al-Sanʿani was weak in respect to his retention. For this reason, al-Dhahabi included him in al-Duʿafaʾ and said: “Ahmad declared him weak.”

Al-Hafiz said in al-Taqrib: “Truthful, but prone to many errors.”

I say: A narrator of his type is not accepted as proof when alone; however, he was corroborated, as will follow. Thus, his hadith is authentic. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir attributed it in his Exegesis (15/138) to al-Bayhaqi—meaning, in