- "Moses (peace be upon him) was sent as a prophet while he was a shepherd of sheep, David (peace be upon him) was sent as a prophet while he was a shepherd of sheep, and I was sent as a prophet while I was a shepherd of sheep at Ajyad." It was recorded by al-Bukhārī in "al-Tārīkh" (3/2/113-114) and "al-Adab al-Mufrad" (577), and by al-Dūlābī in "al-Kuná" (1/92) through the route of Shuʿbah: I heard Abū Isḥāq: I heard ʿAbdah ibn Ḥazn say: The people of camels and the owners of sheep boasted, so the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: ... and he mentioned it. From this route, it was also recorded by al-Nasāʾī in "al-Kubrā/al-Tafsīr"; as mentioned in "Tuhfat al-Ashrāf." I say: This isnād is authentic; if the companionship of ʿAbdah ibn Ḥazn is established; for there is a difference of opinion regarding his companionship, as you see explained in "al-Iṣābah" and "al-Tahdhīb," and al-Dhahabī in "al-Tajrīd" leaned towards him not having companionship, and in "al-Jarḥ wa-al-Taʿdīl" (6/89/454), and "al-Marāsīl" (136/240), both by Ibn Abī Ḥātim, his being a follower and not a companion is affirmed, and Allāh knows best. Shuʿbah was contradicted by Zuhair, who said: Abū Isḥāq informed us, saying: There was a dispute between the owners of sheep and the owners of camels, and the owners of camels prevailed over them, he said: It reached us—Allāh knows best—that the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: ... and he mentioned it. So ʿAbdah ibn Ḥazn was omitted from the isnād, making it muʿḍal, and the correct view is to affirm him. There is supporting evidence from the ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī who said: The people of camels and sheep boasted before the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), so the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: