in his narration, clarifying the correct view on the matter.
- Al-A‘raj:
Al-Shafi‘i narrated it in al-Umm (1/137), and through his route al-Bayhaqi narrated it in al-Sunan (3/51), likewise with the first part.
- Abu Ja‘far:
Ibn Abi Shaybah (2/480) narrated it from Khalaf ibn Khalifah, from Abu Malik al-Ashja‘i, from Abu Ja‘far, from Abu Hurayrah, as a report attributed to the Companion, likewise with the first part.
Abu Ja‘far is the Medinan; he is trustworthy.
However, Khalaf ibn Khalifah was truthful, but became confused in his later years, as al-Hafiz stated in al-Taqrib. Thus, perhaps his narrating the hadith as a report attributed to the Companion—contrary to the group of trustworthy narrators—was among his confused narrations.
There is also a report on this subject—regarding the virtue of congregational prayer—from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri; its documentation has preceded in this Silsilah (3475).
There is another narration from Abu Hurayrah concerning the gathering of the angels; it is documented in Zilal al-Jannah (491). *
- “The earth will cast forth pieces of its liver, like columns of gold and silver. Then the murderer will come and say, ‘For this I killed’; the one who severed ties of kinship will come and say, ‘For this I severed my kinship ties’; and the thief will come and say, ‘For this my hand was cut off.’ Then they will leave it, taking nothing from it.”
Muslim narrated it (3/84–85), and through his route al-Baghawi (4241) and al-Tirmidhi (2208)