But it has corroborating reports, among them one from Muʿāwiyah ibn Ḥudayj, attributed to the Prophet, with similar wording.

It was narrated by Aḥmad in al-Musnad (6/401), al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (19/430/1044), and in al-Awsaṭ (9/134/9337), through Saʿīd ibn Abī Ayyūb, who said: Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb narrated to us from Suwayd ibn Qays, from Muʿāwiyah ibn Ḥudayj, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ... and he mentioned it.

It also has two further corroborating reports, from the hadiths of Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh and ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, both of which have been referenced earlier in this book under no. 245.

Note: The wording “three” occurs at the beginning of the narration of ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Walīd. It is rejected or anomalous, in light of what you have learned concerning ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Walīd.

In Aḥmad’s Musnad, it occurs as “three” in the accusative; this is even more objectionable, since it has no basis in any of the hadiths referred to above.

Al-Suyūṭī mistakenly supposed that the first wording formed part of the hadith itself, and so listed it under the letter thāʾ: “Three, if there is ...!” I have drawn attention to this in my commentary on it.

This is the last of this blessed series that the Shaykh verified, Allah willing. This was completed toward the end of Jumādā al-Ūlā in the year 1420 AH. We ask Allah to make it beneficial knowledge whose reward will continue to accrue to him until the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, He is All-Hearing, Responsive.

O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him. Indeed, You are the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. *