Azami 294

Narrated by Abdul-Razzaq in Musannaf (20324) from Mamar, from Ibn Abu Husayn, Shahr bin Hawshab, from Abu Malik Ashari, and he related it. Tabarani also related it from him in Kabir (3433), as did Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah (3464). In it is Shahr bin Hawshab, along with the discussion surrounding him, for he never met Abu Malik Ashari. However, Abdullah bin Mubarak established the chain properly in Zuhd (714), and Imam Ahmad did likewise in Musnad (22906), inserting between Shahr bin Hawshab and Abu Malik Ashari the name "Abdul-Rahman bin Ghanm," who was an Ashari and among the trustworthy of the Tabiin.Abu Yaala also related it (6842) through another route from Shahr bin Hawshab, who said, there was a man among us, the Asharis, who had been a companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and had witnessed with him the fine and beautiful battles, Malik or Ibn Malik, Awf being uncertain which. He came to us one day and said, "I have come to teach you and to lead you in prayer just as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to lead us." He said, he called for a large basin and put water in it, then called for a small vessel, and began pouring from it over our hands, then he said, "Now perform wudu thoroughly." So the people performed wudu, then he stood and led us in a complete yet brief prayer. When he finished, he said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us, "I know that there are people who are neither prophets nor martyrs, yet the prophets and martyrs envy them for their standing with Allah." A man from among the people, a Bedouin, spoke up, he said, and we used to be pleased, whenever we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, to have a Bedouin among us, because they would dare to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ things we did not dare to ask. He said, "O Messenger of Allah, name them for us." He said, we saw the face of the Messenger of Allah light up with joy. He said, "They are people from various tribes who love one another for the sake of Allah. By Allah, their faces are light, and they are upon light. They do not fear when the people fear, nor do they grieve when the people grieve."Haythami said in Majma (10/277), "Abu Yaala related it, and its narrators are the narrators of sahih, except for Shahr, whom more than one scholar has deemed trustworthy." Hafiz Munziri graded it hasan in Targhib wal-Tarhib (4573), but he made a mistake in attributing it to Hakim, for the truth is that Hakim did not narrate the hadith of Abu Malik Ashari at all, but rather narrated the hadith of Ibn Umar, as mentioned previously. Its chain is hasan due to the discussion surrounding Shahr bin Hawshab, for his hadith is hasan so long as he does not narrate something that is rejected of him.In similar meaning is what was reported from Abu Darda, who said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Allah will certainly raise up people on the Day of Resurrection with light upon their faces, upon pulpits of pearl, whom the people will envy, though they are neither prophets nor martyrs." He said, a Bedouin knelt on his knees and said, "O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us so that we may know them." He said, "They are those who love one another for the sake of Allah, from various tribes and various lands, who gather to remember Allah and mention Him."Tabarani related it, as found in Jami al-Masanid wal-Sunan by Ibn Kathir (11017), through the route of Uqba bin Mukram, who reported from Yunus bin Bukayr, from Saeed bin Maysara, from Anas, from Abu Darda, who related it. This Saeed bin Maysara, the Bakri, of Basra, Abu Imran, narrated from Anas. Bukhari said, "He has rejected narrations," and also said, "His hadith is rejected." Ibn Hibban said, "He narrates fabricated material." Hakim said, "He narrates fabrications from Anas." Yahya Qattan called him a liar, and there is other discussion about him as well. See Mizan al-Itidal. As for Munziri, he mentioned it in Targhib wal-Tarhib (2348, 4571) and attributed it to Tabarani, saying, "Its chain is hasan," but this was not correct. Had he said, "The hadith is hasan," it would have been more fitting, given the abundance of its corroborating reports.Also in similar meaning is what was reported from Amr bin Abasa, who said, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "To the right of the Merciful, and both His hands are right, are men who are neither prophets nor martyrs, whose faces shine with whiteness, and whose nearness to Allah is such." It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, who are they?" He said, "They are a gathering drawn from among scattered tribes, who come together to remember Allah, and they select the choicest words just as one selects the choicest dates when eating."Tabarani related it, as found in Jami al-Masanid wal-Sunan (7395), through the route of Tammam bin Najih, from Hasan, from Amr bin Abasa, who related it. Tammam bin Najih Asadi, of Damascus, is daif according to the majority. As for Munziri, he said in Targhib wal-Tarhib (2347), "Its chain is close to acceptable, there is no harm in it."On the theme of those who love one another for the sake of Allah, there are many hadiths, which will come in their proper places.