—and Yazid b. Abi Sufyan.* All the transmitters in this chain are deemed trustworthy. Ibn al-Turkmani nevertheless faulted it, saying: “The author of al-Kamal reports that Duhaym stated: ‘Walid b. Muslim never heard anything from Shaybah b. al-Ahnaf.’” I say: this objection carries no weight, for Walid expressly affirmed that he heard this report from Shaybah, and Walid himself is reliable; his statement may not be rejected without proof. Moreover, the very remark attributed to Duhaym is quoted by al-Hafiz in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, and it contains nothing of what Ibn al-Turkmani related. The exact wording is: “Uthman al-Darimi reported from Duhaym: Walid used to narrate from him; I never met anyone who knew him.” Thus Duhaym did not deny Walid’s hearing from Shaybah; he merely said that he personally had not encountered anyone acquainted with Shaybah. Others besides Walid b. Muslim also transmitted from Shaybah, such as Muhammad b. Shuayb b. Shabur and Hisham Abu Abd Allah, the collector of charity. Abu Zurʿah al-Dimashqi placed him among a group of transmitters possessed of isnad and knowledge, and Ibn Hibban listed him in al-Thiqat. A narrator of this stature is not rated below the level of hasan, especially since nothing objectionable is reported from him. Allah knows best. The Musnad (4/138) contains a corroborating narration from Uthman b. Hunayf with a weak chain and similar wording, except that it omits the phrase, “such as the one…,” etc. * The editor of al-Sifah (printed edition) attributes the report to al-Dhiya in al-Muntaqa min al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa-l-Hasanah (1/276), and Ibn Asakir cites it as well (2/226/2; 1/414; 8/14/1; 7/6/2).