Ahmad likewise records the narration (Musnad, 5/409), and so does al-Tahawi, through the isnad: Mansur → Mujahid, who said: “I, together with Yahya ibn Jadah, visited one of the Ansar who had been a Companion of the Messenger of Allah. He told us: ‘A female servant belonging to the Banu Abd al-Muttalib was mentioned in the Prophet’s presence, and it was said that she stands in prayer at night and fasts by day.’ The Messenger of Allah replied: ‘But I sleep and pray, and I fast and break my fast. Whoever follows my example is of me; whoever turns away from my sunnah is not of me. Every deed has a first burst of zeal (shirrah) followed by a period of slackening. If, during his slackening, a person inclines to innovation, he has gone astray; but if, during his slackening, he inclines to the sunnah, he is rightly guided.’ ” This chain is sound according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs. It is a distinct report in which Mujahid transmits from the unnamed Ansari. Muslim ibn Kaysan al-A‘war also transmitted a similar marfuʿ version from Mujahid, from Ibn Abbas; al-Tahawi cites it (2/89), but al-A‘war is weak, as noted in al-Taqrib. The hadith is further supported by a narration from Abu Hurayra, marfuʿ: “For everything— in one wording: for every deed— there is a burst of zeal, and for every burst of zeal there is a period of slackening. If the person remains balanced and moderate, then have hope for him; but if he becomes a public spectacle pointed at with fingers, then do not count him.” Al-Tirmidhi records this (2/74, Bulaq ed.) and so does al-Tahawi, through the chain: Muhammad ibn Ajlan → al-Qaqaʿ ibn Hakim → Abu Salih → Abu Hurayra. The isnad is hasan; al-Tirmidhi remarks, “A hasan sahih hadith.” Al-Mundhiri attributes it, in addition, only to Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.