Third: Abu Salih:

Al-‘Uqayli narrated it in al-Du‘afa’ (Weak Narrators) (4/29–30), through Muhammad ibn Anas, from al-A‘mash, from him, with the same wording.

Its narrators are trustworthy, except for this Muhammad ibn Anas. Al-‘Uqayli said of him: “...from al-A‘mash, he narrated hadiths in which no one corroborated him...” He then mentioned this hadith and followed it with the statement:

“This is narrated through another route, with an acceptable chain of transmission.”

This Muhammad ibn Anas is not the Qurashi al-‘Adawi, the freedman of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, for the latter is trustworthy. Yet the editor of al-Du‘afa’ confused the two, citing—among the sources cited in the footnote—Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (The Refinement of the Refinement)! This despite its indicating that they are most likely two distinct individuals!

The hadith has also been reported, as part of a story, from Ibn ‘Abbas, who narrated it from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with them both:

Al-Bukhari (3620, 3621, 4373, and 4374), Muslim (7/58), Ibn Hibban (6654), al-Tahawi in al-Mushkil (Problematic Reports) (5843), al-Asbahani in al-Dala’il (The Proofs) (126), and al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala’il (The Proofs) (5/334) narrated it through Nafi‘ ibn Abi Jubayr, from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

Musaylimah the liar came to Medina during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and began saying, “If Muhammad grants me authority after him, I will follow him.” He came with a large party of his people. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, approached him, accompanied by Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas, and holding a piece of palm stalk in his hand. He stood before Musaylimah among his companions and said: