and, through his chain, al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in al-Ta‘liq (2/163), Ahmad (2/243), and Ibn ‘Asakir in his Tarikh (10/76).
Its chain of transmission is authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.
I say: Three others differed from these three in attributing the hadith of Abu Hurayrah to the Prophet:
- Al-A‘raj:
Ahmad narrated it in the Musnad (2/243), and through his chain Ibn ‘Asakir (10/74), from Sufyan, from Abu al-Zinad, from him, with the report attributed to the Companion.
Its chain is authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.
- Abu Zur‘ah:
Abu Zur‘ah narrated it in Tarikh Dimashq (10/77) through al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Ma‘shar, from Muhammad ibn Rabi‘ah, from Yahya ibn Ayyub, from him, with the same report.
Ibn Abi Ma‘shar was not trustworthy, as stated by al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in al-Mughni (1/155).
- Abu Yunus, the client of Abu Hurayrah:
Ibn ‘Asakir narrated it in Tarikh Dimashq (10/77) through Qutaybah, from Ibn Lahi‘ah, from him, with the same report.
Abu Yunus’s name was Sulaym ibn Jubayr, and he was trustworthy.
Qutaybah’s narration from Ibn Lahi‘ah is reliable, Allah willing, as I have explained in several places in this Silsilah. I say: I do not regard this attribution to the Companion as a hidden defect, for two reasons: