380 — “Whoever loves for Allah’s sake, hates for Allah’s sake, gives for Allah’s sake, and withholds for Allah’s sake has perfected faith.”

Abu Dawud (4681) and Ibn ʿAsakir, in Tarikh Dimashq (6/16/2; 9/396/2), narrated it through several routes from Yahya ibn al-Harith, from al-Qasim ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman, from Abu Umamah, from the Messenger of Allah, who said this.

I say: This is a good chain of transmission. Its narrators are reliable, though there is some minor criticism concerning al-Qasim ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman, Abu ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Dimashqi; it does not lower his hadith beneath the rank of good. For this reason, al-Hafiz described him as “truthful.”

The hadith also has a corroborating report, narrated by Abu Marhum ʿAbd al-Rahim ibn Maymun, from Sahl ibn Muʿadh ibn Anas al-Juhani, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah said this, adding:

“And gives in marriage for Allah’s sake.”

Al-Tirmidhi (2/85) and Ahmad (3/440) narrated it.

Al-Tirmidhi said: “This is a good hadith.”

I say: Its chain of transmission is also good.

Zabban ibn Fa’id also corroborated him, narrating it from Sahl ibn Muʿadh with the same wording.

Ahmad narrated it (3/338).

Thus, taken together through the two routes, the hadith is authentic. So do not be misled by al-Manawi’s remarks concerning it, for they lack critical scrutiny. Sufficient indication of his error is that he gave the impression that the hadith has only one weak route!

Ibn Abi Shaybah also narrated it in Kitab al-Iman (no. 133, edited by me), with a good chain of transmission, as a statement of Kaʿb ibn Malik. What has preceded indicates that its original source is a report attributed to the Prophet.