Ahmad 7871

Its isnad is sahih. Malik bin Zalim was a trustworthy successor. Bukhari mentioned him in Tarikh al-Kabir (4/1/309) and said, "He heard from Abu Hurairah." Ibn Abu Hatim also mentioned him (4/1/211). Neither he nor Bukhari mentioned any criticism of him. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Thiqat (p. 331).Some called him Ubaydullah bin Zalim, as will come below in the source references, but this is a mistake by whoever named him so, for Ubaydullah bin Zalim is a different successor altogether. Bukhari and Ibn Abu Hatim distinguished between the two. Amr bin Ali Fallas said, "The correct name is Malik bin Zalim."In Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, the name Malik bin Zalim is marked with the symbols for Muslim and Nasai. This is an error regarding the symbol for Muslim, for he certainly did not narrate from him. It is strange that he has no entry in Taqrib or in Khulasa. It appears this is one of the additions Ibn Hajar made in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib beyond what is in Tahzib Kabir of Mizzi.This hadith will come at 8020 and 10297, narrated from Abdul-Rahman bin Mahdi, from Sufyan, from Simak, from Abdullah bin Zalim. Hakim narrated it in Mustadrak (4:470) through Hasan bin Hafs, from Thawri, from Simak bin Harb, from Malik bin Zalim, and said, "This is a hadith with a sahih isnad, but the two of them did not include it."It appears the mistake originates from Abdul-Rahman bin Mahdi, for the narration of Zayd bin Hubab here, and the narration of Hasan bin Hafs found in Hakim, both from Thawri, contain the correct name, Malik bin Zalim. Likewise, all the others who narrated it named him Malik bin Zalim.Tayalisi narrated it (2508) from Shuba, from Simak bin Harb, from Malik bin Zalim, from Abu Hurairah. Likewise, Bukhari narrated it in Tarikh al-Kabir, in the entry on Malik bin Zalim, from Amr bin Marzuq, from Shuba. Likewise, it will come in the Musnad (7961), from Muhammad bin Jafar, from Shuba, and from Rawh bin Ubada, from Shuba (8329). Likewise, Ibn Hibban narrated it in Thiqat, in the entry on Malik, through Abu Awana, from Simak, from Malik bin Zalim. Likewise, Ibn Hibban also narrated it in his Sahih (8:500) [manuscript of Ihsan], through Asim bin Yazid, from Sufyan, from Simak, from Malik bin Zalim.Asim bin Yazid Isbahani is trustworthy. Ibn Abu Hatim mentioned him (3/2/26), describing him as the servant of Sufyan Thawri, and narrated from Ibn Mahdi, who said, "Asim used to constantly ask Sufyan about matters." He also has an entry in Tarikh Isbahan by Abu Naeem (2:138-139), and in Lisan Mizan (4:168).All of these narrators contradicted Abdul-Rahman bin Mahdi in naming the successor in this hadith Abdullah bin Zalim. In fact, when Bukhari wanted to refer to the narration of Ibn Mahdi, in the entry on Malik bin Zalim, he did not mention him by the name Abdullah bin Zalim, but said, "Ibn Abu Shayba said, from Ibn Mahdi, from Sufyan, from Simak, he heard Ibn Zalim say, he heard Abu Hurairah narrate from the Prophet ﷺ." He could not disregard the narration of Ibn Mahdi, because it explicitly stated that the successor heard directly from Abu Hurairah, but he refused to follow Ibn Mahdi in naming him Abdullah, so he avoided doing so.Ibn Hajar referred to the narrations of this hadith in Fath al-Bari (13:7), and its meaning is established through other routes as well. See 8287, 8888, 10748, and 10940. See also Bukhari (6:452, and 13:7-8), and Sahih Muslim (2:370).