Azami 3645

Imam Ahmad (13541) and Abu Yaala (3468, Athari edition) both narrated it through Muammal bin Ismail, who said, "Hammad narrated to us," who said, "Thabit narrated to us," from Anas. Ibn Hibban (3026) and Hakim (1/378) both graded it sahih, through Muammal bin Ismail with his chain, and the wording belongs to both of them, because the phrase "that they know nothing of him but good, except that Allah says..." was dropped in the two aforementioned sources, though it is indispensable. Haythami likewise mentioned it in al-Majma and attributed it to Ahmad and Abu Yaala.Hakim said, "Sahih according to the criterion of Muslim." I say, its chain is hasan on account of the discussion concerning Muammal bin Ismail. Ibn Main said, "Trustworthy." Darimi said, "Trustworthy." Abu Hatim said, "Truthful, strict in following the sunnah, but makes many mistakes." Ibn Saad said, "Trustworthy, but errs frequently." A man like this is graded hasan in his narration.Haythami mentioned it in al-Majma (3/4) and said, "The narrators of Ahmad are the narrators of the Sahih." As for Bukhari's statement about Muammal bin Ismail, "His hadith is rejected," this is not established from him, as I have clarified in the book on prayer. I do not believe he contradicted the companions of Hammad in the wording of the hadith, rather it is a different hadith altogether. And Allah, Most High, knows best.As for what was narrated from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet ﷺ, from his Lord , who said, "There is no Muslim slave who dies, with three houses of his close neighbors testifying good of him, except that Allah says, 'I have accepted the testimony of My servants concerning what they knew, and I have forgiven him what I know,'" its chain contains an unnamed, unidentified man.Imam Ahmad (8989, 9295) narrated it from Affan, who said, "Mahdi bin Maymun narrated to us," who said, "Abdul-Hameed, the companion of Ziyadi, narrated to us," from a shaykh among the people of Basra, from Abu Hurairah, who related it. The shaykh among the people of Basra is unknown. As for Abdul-Hameed, the companion of Ziyadi, although he is trustworthy and among the narrators shared by Bukhari and Muslim, one of his teachers was Hasan Basri, so if it is he, then he is one who conceals gaps in his chains of transmission.