This is a strong chain of transmission. Its narrators are trustworthy apart from these three, concerning whom there is some criticism; yet they strengthen one another. Ibn Jarir said:

“Muhammad ibn Harb also narrated this hadith from Ibn Lahi‘ah, from ‘Uqbah ibn Muslim, with similar wording.”

I say: This is a strong corroborating report from Ibn Lahi‘ah in support of Harmalah. Ibn Abi al-Dunya also narrated it from him in Kitab al-Shukr (The Book of Gratitude), p. 9. He said: Ya‘la ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Ya‘la al-Hudhali related to us; Bishr ibn ‘Umar related to us; Ibn Lahi‘ah related it to us. I have not found a biographical entry for this Ya‘la.

Al-Hafiz al-‘Iraqi said in Takhrij al-Ihya’ (4/115):

“Ahmad, al-Tabarani, and al-Bayhaqi in al-Shu‘ab narrated it with a good chain of transmission.”

I say: In my view, it is authentic on account of the corroboration mentioned above. Ibn Lahi‘ah was himself trustworthy; the only concern regarding him is his poor retention. Thus, when a trustworthy narrator corroborates him, that indicates that he retained it. And Allah knows best.

414 — “Some people from my ummah will drink wine, calling it by another name.”

Imam Ahmad narrated it (4/237): ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi related to us from Shu‘bah; and Muhammad ibn Ja‘far said: Shu‘bah related to us from Abu Bakr ibn Hafs, who said: I heard Ibn Muhayriz narrating from a man among the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. All its narrators are trustworthy and are narrators of the Six Books. The fact that the Companion is not named does not impair it, as is established in hadith methodology.

Abu Bakr ibn Hafs was ‘Abd Allah ibn Hafs ibn ‘Umar ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas,