“Al-Tabarani narrated it through two chains of transmission. The narrators of one of them are the narrators of the Sahih, apart from ‘Abdullah ibn Budayl ibn Warqa’, who is trustworthy.”

Al-Mundhiri said in At-Targhib (3/190): “Al-Tabarani narrated it through two chains of transmission, one of which is authentic.”

Note: The word is al-riya’ (ostentation), with an r. In At-Targhib and Al-Majma‘, however, it appears as al-zina (fornication), with a z. Al-Mundhiri said: “Some of the hadith masters have vocalized it as al-riya’, with an r and a yā’.”

I say: This is likewise how it appears in all the manuscript and other sources to which we attributed the hadith. Ibn al-Athir also cited it in Al-Nihayah and said: “In one version: ‘O death-announcers of the Arabs!’”

One says na‘ā al-mayyita yan‘āhu na‘yan when one publicly announces a person’s death and informs others of it, and also when one laments him. Al-Zamakhshari said: There are three possible explanations of na‘āyā. First, it may be the plural of na‘y, the verbal noun, like safiyy and safāyā. Second, it may be a collective noun, as in ukhiyyah and akhāyā. Third, it may be the plural of na‘ā’, which is an imperative noun. Its meaning is: “O death-announcers of the Arabs, come, for this is your time and your occasion!” That is, the Arabs have perished.

Na‘ayān is a verbal noun meaning na‘y; it has also been said that it is the plural of nā‘in, like rā‘in and rā‘iyān. The well-known practice among the Arabs was that, when one of their noblemen died or was killed, they would send a rider to the tribes to announce his death, saying: “Na‘āʾ so-and-so,” or, “O death-announcers of the Arabs!”—that is, “So-and-so has perished,” or “The Arabs have perished through the death of so-and-so.” Thus, na‘āʾ is derived from na‘aytu, just as niẓār and dirāk are derived forms. Therefore, saying, “Na‘āʾ so-and-so,” means, “Announce the death of so-and-so,” just as one says, “Dirāk so-and-so,” meaning, “Catch him.” As for the expression, “O death-announcers of the Arabs,” with the vocative particle, the person addressed is omitted. Its implied meaning is: “O man, announce the death of the Arabs,” or, “O people, announce the death of the Arabs through the death of so-and-so,” as in the words of the Exalted: