the Children of Israel, so he sent for her. When she came to him, he said, “Show me where Joseph’s grave is.” She replied, “No, by Allah, I will not do so until you grant me my request.” He asked, “And what is your request?” She said, “That I be with you in Paradise.” He was reluctant to grant her that, so Allah revealed to him: “Grant her request.” She led them to a lake, at the site of a stagnant pool of water, and said, “Drain this water.” So they drained it. She then said, “Dig, and bring out Joseph’s bones.” When they brought them up onto the ground, the way became as clear as daylight.”

Abu Ya‘la recorded it in his Musnad (344/1), as did al-Hakim (2/404–405, 571–572), through three chains from Yunus ibn Abi Ishaq, from Abu Burdah, from Abu Musa, who said:

“The Prophet visited a Bedouin and treated him generously. He then said to him, ‘Come and visit us.’ So the man came to him, and the Messenger of Allah said”—in another narration: “The Messenger of Allah lodged with a Bedouin, who treated him generously. The Messenger of Allah said to him, ‘Keep in touch with us; come and visit us.’ So the Bedouin came to him, and the Messenger of Allah said to him”—“Ask for what you need.” He said, “A she-camel with its saddle, and some goats for my family to milk.” The Messenger of Allah then said ...” and he related it.

The wording is that of Abu Ya‘la, while the additions occur in al-Hakim’s other narration. Al-Hakim said: “Authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim. Ahmad and Ibn Ma‘in ruled that Yunus heard the hadith, ‘No marriage is valid without a guardian,’ from Abu Burdah.” Al-Dhahabi concurred with him.

I say: It only meets Muslim’s criteria, for al-Bukhari did not include Yunus in his Sahih, but only in his Treatise on Recitation.

Note: I had formerly found the phrase “Joseph’s bones” in this hadith problematic, since its apparent meaning conflicts with the authentic hadith: