the hadith on account of him—especially if he is among those narrators whose biographies are not found in al-Tahdhīb, because they are not among the transmitters of the Six Books or others whose biographies are recorded, such as al-Ḥākim’s shaykh and his shaykh’s shaykh? The answer was that the question was academically valid, while the answer was practical:

Fourth: I investigated the biographies of the two shaykhs referred to and found that the report transmitted by them does not fall below the rank of good, particularly since they were corroborated by Imam al-Nasāʾī, as I explained earlier. Thus, the hadith was established as authentic, praise be to Allah. I therefore removed it from Ḍaʿīf al-Targhīb and transferred it to the proof copy of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb, which is currently in press. Allah, Most High, is the Granter of success. (1)

That is the story of this hadith and the stages through which I passed before I was able to rule it authentic—and there are many, very many, others like it. Therefore, no reader should find it strange to encounter two differing rulings on a single hadith issued by one person, such as al-Albānī. There are many reasons for this, among them what occurred to me with this hadith—matters beyond human capacity and not within the scope of what one is obligated to do. Then, after all, I am human: I err and I am correct, as Imam Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“None among us is free from either refuting others or being refuted, except the occupant of this grave,”

and he pointed to the grave of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

“Indeed, in that is a reminder for whoever has a heart, or listens while fully attentive.”!! *

3440—“Indeed, among the best of Allah’s servants are those who observe the sun, the moon, the stars, and the shadows for the remembrance of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.”

Reported by Ibn Shāhīn in al-Afrād (fol. 5/1), al-Bazzār in his Musnad (1/186/366), al-Ṭabarānī in al-Duʿāʾ (3/1637/1876), and al-Ḥākim (1/51), and through his chain: