reports transmitted from him by Syrian narrators; and this is one of the other reports, for in Aḥmad it is transmitted from him by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān—namely Ibn Mahdī—while in al-Bayhaqī it is transmitted by Yaḥyā ibn Abī Bukayr. The former was from Basra, and the latter from Yemen.

Through this route, it was also recorded by Ibn Abī Shaybah in al-Muṣannaf (11/434/11693), and by al-Bayhaqī in al-Dalāʾil (5/472). Its annotator attributed it to Musnad Aḥmad (1/301), but the reference number is incorrect.

Zuhayr was corroborated by another transmitter: Aḥmad said (1/158): Abū Saʿīd narrated to us; Saʿīd ibn Salamah ibn Abī al-Ḥusām narrated to us; ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAqīl narrated to us from Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Akbar, with the same report.

Note: It is noticeable that there is no discrepancy between Zuhayr’s narration and that of Saʿīd ibn Salamah. Yet Ibn Abī Ḥātim mentioned a difference in al-ʿIlal (2/399/2705), citing Abū Zurʿah. I do not think this is correct; perhaps an error occurred in his transmission. In al-Irwāʾ (1/317), before this verification became available to me, I had pointed out this difference—or inconsistency—attributing it to Ibn Abī Ḥātim. Hence this clarification.

Moreover, the hadith is authentic, for most of its clauses occur in numerous authentic hadiths, which I documented in al-Irwāʾ (1/315–317).

The clause, “I have been named Aḥmad,” is supported by the hadiths that state, “I am Muḥammad and Aḥmad ...”; some of them are documented in al-Rawḍ al-Naḍīr (401 and 1017). More compelling still is the testimony of the Noble Quran, as spoken by Jesus, peace be upon him: “bringing good news of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Aḥmad.”

Likewise, the clause, “the best of communities,” is supported by His saying, Most High: “You are the best community brought forth for mankind ...”—the verse.