Azami 1911

Tirmidhi (207) reported it, saying, Hannad narrated to us, Abu Ahwas and Abu Muawiya narrated to us, from Amash, from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurairah, and he related the hadith. There is disagreement regarding Amash's version. Sufyan Thawri narrated it, as found with Imam Ahmad (9942), and Zaida, as found with Abu Dawud Tayalisi (2526), and Sharik, as found with Imam Ahmad (1/9478). All of these and others narrated it like the version of Abu Ahwas and Abu Muawiya, from Amash, with a connected chain.Muhammad bin Fudayl narrated it from Amash, from a man, from Abu Salih, from him, and his version is with Abu Dawud (517), from Imam Ahmad, and it is also in his Musnad (7169). He inserted an unnamed man between Amash and Abu Salih.The scholars disagreed about whether Amash actually heard this hadith from Abu Salih. Ibn Main said, Amash did not hear this hadith from Abu Salih. The correct view on this matter is that Amash first heard this hadith from a man, from Abu Salih, and then was later able to hear it directly from Abu Salih himself. This is the position held by most of his companions, among them Mamar, Thawri, Abu Ahwas, Abu Muawiya, Hafs bin Ghiyath, Jareer bin Abdul-Hameed, and others. Amash himself stated explicitly in some of his narrations that he heard it from Abu Salih.There is also disagreement regarding Abu Salih's version. It was said that he narrated it from Abu Hurairah, and this was related from him by his son Suhayl, from his father Abu Salih. See Ibn Khuzayma (16/3). However, Imam Ahmad said, Suhayl did not hear this hadith from his father, rather he heard it from Amash. This is what Bayhaqi transmitted (1/430). Yet Suhayl is trustworthy, not known for tadlis, and he narrated a great deal from his father, so his use of "from" is to be taken as direct hearing.Likewise, Abu Ishaq Sabi narrated it from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurairah. Imam Ahmad related it (8909 and 10666) from Musa bin Dawud, who said, Zuhayr narrated to us, from Abu Ishaq, with this chain. Ibn Khuzayma graded it sahih (16/3), narrating it through his route.Nafi bin Sulayman contradicted this, narrating it from Muhammad bin Abu Salih, from his father, from Ayesha. Imam Ahmad related it (24363) from Abu Abdul-Rahman, who said, Haywa bin Shurayh narrated to us, who said, Nafi bin Sulayman narrated to me with this chain, in similar wording.Some scholars have denied that Abu Salih had a son named Muhammad, and this is why the scholars' statements regarding these narrations differ. Tirmidhi transmitted from Abu Zura his statement that the hadith of Abu Salih from Abu Hurairah is more sahih than the hadith of Abu Salih from Ayesha. He also transmitted from Bukhari that he said the hadith of Abu Salih from Ayesha is more sahih. And he mentioned from Ali bin Madini that neither the hadith of Abu Salih from Abu Hurairah nor the hadith of Abu Salih from Ayesha has been established. End of quote.Hafiz transmitted in Talkhis (1/207) from Ibn Hibban that he validated both routes as sahih, saying, Abu Salih heard both of these reports, from Ayesha and from Abu Hurairah together.I say, this is what the science of hadith criticism indicates, if the existence of Muhammad bin Abu Salih is established. Otherwise, the hadith of Abu Salih from Abu Hurairah is more sahih, and this is the view held by most scholars, among them Abu Zura, Aqeeli, Daraqutni, and others.