Moreover, what lends greater weight to Ibn Salama’s narration over that of Ibn Aʿyan is that he was the nephew of Khalid ibn Abi Yazid and thus knew his hadith better than Ibn Aʿyan did. Therefore, when the two differ, his narration is more likely to be correct.

It may be said that Khalid had two teachers for this hadith: one of them was Abd al-Wahhab ibn Bakht, and the other al-Zuhri. At times he narrated it from the former, and at other times from the latter; thus, each of Ibn Salama and Ibn Aʿyan narrated what he had heard from him. This reconciliation would have had to be adopted, were it not for the fact that Saʿid—who had become confused—occurs in the chain leading to Ibn Aʿyan, and that they did not mention Imam al-Zuhri among Khalid’s teachers. And Allah knows best.

I have found three corroborating reports for this hadith, though without mention of swimming.

The first is from ʿUqbah ibn ʿAmir al-Juhani, attributed to the Prophet, with the same wording, adding: “For they are among matters of truth.”

It was reported by al-Tirmidhi (1/308), al-Darimi (2/205), Ibn Majah (2811), and Ahmad (4/144, 148), through Abd Allah ibn Zayd al-Azraq, from him.

Al-Tirmidhi said: “A good and authentic hadith.”

The second is from Abd Allah ibn Amr, attributed to the Prophet, with the additional wording.

It was reported by al-Mukhallis in al-Fawaʾid al-Muntaqah (3/144/2), through Harun ibn Abd Allah, who said: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan informed us; he said: Sulayman ibn Bilal narrated to me, from Ibn ʿAjlan, from Amr ibn Shuʿayb, from his father, from him.

However, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan was Ibn Zibalah, who was accused of lying; therefore, his report cannot be used as corroboration.

The third is from Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Husayn, who said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said—then he cited it.

It was reported by al-Tirmidhi from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from him.