Ibn Majah also recorded it (1/108) through Waki', with the same chain.
Ahmad (3/332), as well as al-Hakim (4/281), then recorded it through two other chains from Sufyan, with the wording: “Whenever he went out of his house, we would walk in front of him and leave the space behind him for the angels.”
Al-Hakim made no comment on it, and its chain of transmission is authentic. All its narrators are trustworthy transmitters of the Six Books, apart from Nubayh—whose name is in the diminutive form—ibn Abd Allah al-Anazi. Abu Zur'ah declared him trustworthy, and a group narrated from him, as stated in al-Khulasah. Thus, al-Hafiz’s rating of him as “acceptable” in al-Taqrib falls short of his true standing.
The hadith has also been narrated as a statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the wording: “Walk in front of me ...”
A detailed discussion of it will come, Allah willing, under no. 1557.
- “Whoever’s intercession prevents one of Allah’s fixed legal penalties from being carried out has opposed Allah in His command. Whoever dies while owing a debt will find neither dinar nor dirham there, but only good deeds and evil deeds. Whoever knowingly disputes in support of falsehood remains under Allah’s wrath until he desists. And whoever says of a believer what is not true of him will be confined in the mire of corruption until he retracts what he said.”
Abu Dawud (2/117), al-Hakim (2/27)—whose wording is cited here—and Ahmad (2/70) recorded it from Zuhayr, who said: Umarah ibn Ghaziyyah narrated to us, from Yahya ibn Rashid, from Abd Allah ibn Umar, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Al-Hakim said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and it is as they said. Its narrators are trustworthy transmitters of Muslim, apart from Yahya ibn