al-Hafiz (1/347) also attributes it to al-Bazzar. This, he says, invalidates the view of those who interpret the Prophet’s words, “The earth has been made for me a place of prostration and a means of purification,” as meaning: “For others it was made a place of prostration but not a means of purification.” They argue, “Jesus used to travel through the land and would pray whenever the time for prayer came!” Al-Hafiz therefore comments: “What is more convincing is al-Khattabi’s explanation, namely that those who preceded him were only allowed to pray in specific locations such as churches and hermitages.” He then supports this interpretation with the two foregoing reports. Further corroboration comes from Abu Said with similar wording. Al-Tabarani relates it in al-Awsat, and al-Haythami (8/269) remarks: “Its chain is hasan.” Another supporting narration is from Anas. Al-Khattabi cites it in Maalim (1/147), saying: “Our teachers transmitted it to us from Ali ibn Abd al-Aziz, from Hajjaj ibn Minhal, from Hammad ibn Salama, from Thabit, from him.” This isnad is sahih. Al-Siraj likewise records it in his Musnad with a chain that al-Iraqi judged sahih (as quoted in Nayl), and it is also reported by Ibn al-Munzir and Ibn al-Jarud with a sound chain, as noted in Fath (1/347). There is also a hadith of Abu Hurayra that states: “I have been favored over the prophets by six things: I have been given concise speech, I have been supported by awe …,” and so on. Regarding the sixth distinction he said: