and Ibn Maʿīn's statement about him: "He is a proof." And there are many similar statements. Perhaps al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī's statement in "al-Siyar" (3/124) following the ḥadīth of al-ʿIrbāḍ: "And the ḥadīth has a strong witness." I say: perhaps this statement of his is what I mentioned. And Allāh knows best. As for the ḥadīth of Muslimah ibn Mukhallad; it is narrated by Abū Hilāl Muḥammad ibn Sulaym who said: Jablah ibn ʿAṭiyyah narrated to us from Muslimah ibn Mukhallad or from a man from Muslimah ibn Mukhallad. He saw Muʿāwiyah eating, and said to ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ: Indeed, this cousin of yours is a destroyer. I say this, and I have heard the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) say: ... then he mentioned the ḥadīth; but he did not mention: "the reckoning," and instead said: "and he was given authority in the lands." It was recorded by Aḥmad in "al-Faḍāʾil" (1750), and likewise by Ibn Saʿd as in "al-Bidāyah" (8/121) - and it is not in the printed volumes, nor in the volume from which it was printed - as a ḥadīth - as a supplement -, and by Ibn al-Jawzī in "al-ʿIlal" (1/272), and by Ibn ʿAsākir (16/684). Ibn al-Jawzī criticized it due to Abū Hilāl, who is truthful but has some weakness as mentioned in "al-Taqrīb." Al-Haythamī criticized it for being disconnected, saying (9/357): "It was narrated by al-Ṭabarānī through the route of Jablah ibn ʿAṭiyyah from Muslimah ibn Mukhallad, and Jablah did not hear from Muslimah; so it is mursal, and its men are trustworthy, but there is disagreement among them."