Azami 11694

Ahmad (27208) narrated it from Husayn bin Muhammad and Surayj bin Numan, and Tirmidhi in Shamail (391) narrated it from Qutayba, all of them from Khalaf bin Khalifa, from Abu Malik Ashjai, from his father, who said what has been mentioned.Tirmidhi said, "This Abu Malik is Saad bin Tariq bin Ashim, and Tariq bin Ashim was one of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. He narrated hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ." End of quote.Its chain is hasan on account of Khalaf bin Khalifa, for he was truthful, except that he suffered paralysis toward the end of his life and became confused. Imam Ahmad saw him during his period of confusion and so did not narrate from him, but he did narrate from his own teachers who had heard from him. This suggests that his teachers heard from him before the confusion set in. And Allah knows best.On this subject there are other hadiths mentioned in the section on the distinguishing qualities of the Prophet ﷺ. Anas used to say, "Rarely does a night pass over me without my seeing my beloved ﷺ in it," Anas would say this while his eyes filled with tears. Ahmad (13267) and Ibn Saad in Tabaqat (7/20) narrated it with a sahih chain.