whose name was Muhammad. Muslim included his narrations as supporting reports, and his hadith is good.

The hadith has a supporting report narrated by Tamim ibn Yazid, the freedman of Banu Zum‘ah, from a man among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, delivered a sermon to us one day and then said something similar.

Ahmad (5/362) narrated it from ‘Uthman—that is, Ibn Hakim—from him. Its narrators are trustworthy and are all among Muslim’s narrators, apart from this Tamim. Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned him in his book (1/1/442) through this route, without recording either criticism or accreditation concerning him. Ibn Hibban likewise mentioned him in Al-Thiqat (1/5), but he named Anas ibn Malik in place of a man who was a Companion.

Later, I found that al-Hakim had narrated the hadith (4/357) through the first route from Abu Hurayrah, and also through Abu Waqid, from Ishaq, the freedman of Za’idah, from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Thawban, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: “Whoever safeguards what lies between his jaws and his legs will enter Paradise.” He said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic, and Abu Waqid is Salih ibn Muhammad.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him.

I say: Regarding this Salih, al-Dhahabi said in Al-Mizan: “His standing is close to acceptable.” He then cited the statements of the scholars concerning him, all of which concur in declaring him weak, except for Ahmad’s statement that follows. Al-Dhahabi included him in Al-Du‘afa’ and said: “Ahmad said: ‘I see no harm in him.’ Al-Daraqutni and a group declared him weak.”

Al-Hafiz said in Al-Taqrib: “Weak.”

I say: Thus, someone like him may be cited as corroborating evidence, if Allah wills.