the narrator al-Farwī, whom Ibn Ḥibbān considered weak, might be among those weak narrators about whom he says: "He is not to be used as evidence except in what he agrees with the trustworthy narrators." For his inclusion of this ḥadīth in his "Ṣaḥīḥ" suggests this, otherwise, he would be contradictory. This is unnecessary as long as a good interpretation is possible, as is known among scholars from the principle: "Seek an excuse for your brother." And Allāh knows best. There is no contradiction between this ḥadīth and the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar: "O Allāh! Strengthen Islam with the more beloved of the two men to You: Abū Jahl ibn Hishām or ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb." It was narrated by Ibn Ḥibbān (2179 - Mawārid), and it has supporting narrations, some of which I mentioned in "Takhrīj al-Mishkāt" (6036/second verification), and it was strengthened by al-Ḥāfiẓ (7/48) with its supporting narrations. I say: there is no contradiction; it is possible that he (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said this at the beginning, but when he saw Abū Jahl's stubbornness and insistence on opposing him (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), he prayed specifically for ʿUmar, and Allāh answered his prayer and strengthened His religion through him, as is known in his biography (raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhu), which is what ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhu) explicitly stated by saying: "We have remained strong since ʿUmar embraced Islam." It was narrated by al-Bukhārī (3684), Ibn Ḥibbān (6841 - al-Iḥsān), Ibn Abī Shaybah in "al-Muṣannaf" (12/22-23), Ibn Saʿd (3/270), and others. al-Ḥākim (3/84) noted this on the two Shaykhs; he erred regarding al-Bukhārī!