Ahmad 7193

Its chain of transmission is sahih. It consists of three hadiths with a single chain, so we have separated them by repeating the number. The first of them concerns the abandonment of Madinah at the end of time. Bukhari related it, 4:77-78, through Shuayb from Zuhri, with this chain, similarly. Muslim related it, 1:391, through Aqeel bin Khalid from Zuhri. Malik related part of its meaning in Muwatta, p. 888, from Ibn Hammas from his uncle from Abu Hurairah.Regarding his statement, "at its best state," Hafiz said, 4:78-79, Ibn Umar objected to Abu Hurairah's phrasing in this hadith, "at its best state," and said, "The correct wording is, at its most populous state." Umar bin Shabba recorded this in Akhbar Madinah, through Masahiq bin Amr, that he was sitting with Ibn Umar when Abu Hurairah came and said to him, "Why did you reject my hadith? By Allah, you and I were together in a house when the Prophet ﷺ said, its people will leave it at its best state." Ibn Umar said, "Yes, but he did not say, at its best state. He only said, at its most populous state. Had he said, at its best state, that would have been true while he and his companions were alive." Abu Hurairah said, "You are right, by the One in whose hand is my soul."I am not familiar with the chain through which Umar bin Shabba related this, since Hafiz did not clarify it. But I think the meaning is close, and that what is meant is, at its best state in terms of prosperity and comfort, which is close to what Ibn Umar said. So the two wordings are similar. The context makes clear that this will occur at the end of time, based on the statement in the hadith, "and the last to be gathered will be two shepherds." This is one of the signs of prophethood, since Allah informed His Prophet ﷺ of what would happen at the end of the world.Al-awafi is the plural of al-aafi and al-aafiyah, meaning every seeker of provision, whether human, animal, or bird. Hafiz quoted in al-Fath from Ibn Jawzi, who said, "Two meanings come together in al-awafi. The first is the seeking of sustenance, from the expression, I sought so-and-so's generosity, so I am aafi, plural ufaat, meaning I came seeking his kindness. The second is from al-afaa, which is an empty place with no inhabitant, since birds and wild animals seek it out because they feel safe there."Regarding his statement, "calling out to their sheep," al-naq is the shepherd's calling to the sheep, shouting at them and driving them, whether ewes or goats. It is most often used with the preposition bi, as one says, the shepherd called bi the sheep. But here it is fixed with the preposition li instead of bi, in H and M, and in K, and in a manuscript margin of M, "bi-ghanamiha." This matches the wording in the Sahihayn. However, its use with li has already appeared, in hadith 2313, "and let none of you call li another."Regarding his statement, "fa-yajidanha," this is how it is recorded in the three original manuscripts, with the noon dropped. In the narration of the Sahihayn it is "fa-yajidaniha."7193-1. He said, "Whomever Allah wishes good for, He grants him understanding of the religion." Sahih (7193-1). Its chain of transmission is sahih, with the chain preceding it. This wording is well known and established from the hadith of Muawiya, related by the two Shaykhs and by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, as we documented there under number 89. It has also already appeared from the hadith of Ibn Abbas, 2791. As for the hadith of Abu Hurairah, Ibn Majah related it, 1:49, through Abdul-Ala, with this chain. Haythami mentioned it in Majma al-Zawaid, 1:121, and said, "Tabarani related it in al-Saghir, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih." It should be noted, first, that this is not among the additions, since Ibn Majah related it, and second, that he fell short by not attributing it to al-Musnad. Tirmidhi alluded, by his statement "and on this topic," to this hadith of Abu Hurairah, 3:369.7193-2. "I am only a distributor, and Allah ﷺ gives." Sahih (7193-2). Its chain of transmission is sahih, with the chain preceding it. Bukhari related its meaning, 6:152-153, through the narration of Abdul-Rahman bin Abu Amra from Abu Hurairah, with the wording, "I do not give to you nor withhold from you, I am only a distributor, placing where I am commanded." Hafiz said, "Abu Dawud also related it, through Hammam from Abu Hurairah, with the wording, 'I am nothing but a treasurer.'"