“among the Syrians.”

I say: From this statement, we derive two points of benefit:

First, he was Syrian, and thus meets Ibn ‘Asakir’s criterion; yet Ibn ‘Asakir did not include him in The History of Damascus.

Second, Dawud ibn Rushayd narrated from him, and he was trustworthy; the same is true of al-Walid ibn Shuja‘. Thus, two trustworthy narrators transmitted from him, so he meets Ibn Hibban’s criterion for inclusion in his al-Thiqat (Trustworthy Narrators). Ibn Hibban did in fact mention him among them (8/439–440), though only through the narration of Dawud ibn Rushayd. Perhaps for this reason al-Haythami said in al-Majma‘ (10/32):

“Al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Awsat, and its chain of transmission is good.”

The hadiths enjoining kind treatment of the Ansar are many and well known. One of them is narrated from Anas through another route from him. The documentation of many sound reports on this subject has preceded under nos. 916, 917, and 3430.

3561 — “Allah did not send any prophet except in the language of his people.”

Ahmad recorded it (5/158): Waki‘ narrated to us from ‘Umar ibn Dharr, who said: Mujahid said, from Abu Dharr, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: … and he mentioned it.

I say: This is a chain whose narrators are trustworthy and are all narrators used by al-Bukhari. However, Abu Hatim said:

“Mujahid’s narration from Abu Dharr is mursal.”

Al-Haythami likewise identified this as its defect in al-Majma‘ (7/43). Yet the hadith is undoubtedly authentic, for it is supported by His saying, Most High:

“We did not send any messenger except in the language of his people, so that he might make the message clear to them.”

The Prophet’s saying also points to this: