I have also come across a hadith with a sound text, which he narrated through his aforementioned chain from Abu Hurayrah, in which he contradicted the main body of transmitters. It was recorded by al-Bayhaqi in al-Shuʿab (3/41) through al-ʿAbbas ibn Muhammad al-Duri, from him. Al-Duri said:

“This is a singular hadith.”

Al-Bayhaqi said:

“This is because the main body of transmitters narrated it only from al-Aʿmash, from Abu Sufyan, from Jabir; whereas Muhammad ibn ʿUbayd narrated it from al-Aʿmash, from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurayrah. And Allah knows best.”

I say: Thus, in this instance he contradicted the main body of transmitters in the chain of transmission, so it is anomalous in its chain; whereas in the other instance he contradicted them in its wording, so it is anomalous in its text.

What further confirms its objectionable nature is that it conflicts with the context of the hadith. For it also prohibits getting ahead of the imam and competing with him in saying amin, and it mentions the virtue of forgiveness for one who waits and coincides with the angels in that. This is plainly not for one who opposes and gets ahead of him. It is commonly observed that most worshippers in the mosque get ahead of him in saying amin, even before he has finished saying, “nor of those who have gone astray.” So how can one who opposes be forgiven on account of one who conforms?!

There are other hadiths prohibiting getting ahead of the imam in bowing and prostrating, narrated from Anas, Muʿawiyah, and also Abu Hurayrah through al-Aʿraj from him. They are documented in al-Irwaʾ (2/289–290). *

3477 — (Allah, exalted is He, says: “I asked My servant for a loan, but he did not lend Me one; and My servant reviled Me without realizing it—in another narration: though it is not fitting for him to revile Me—saying, ‘Woe to Time! Woe to Time!’ [three times], while I am Time.”)

It was recorded by al-Bukhari in Khalq Afʿal al-ʿIbad (p. 57), and al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak