It was recorded by Muslim (8/130), al-Nasāʾī—in part—in "al-Kubrā" (6/518/11683), al-Ṭabarī (30/651), al-Bayhaqī (2/891), and Aḥmad (2/370).

the leaders of Quraysh passed by the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) while he was with Ṣuhayb, Bilāl, ʿAmmār, Khabbāb, and others among the weak Muslims. They said, "O Muḥammad! Expel them. Have you been pleased with these people from your community? Should we follow these? Are these the ones upon whom Allāh has bestowed favor among us? Perhaps if you expel them, we might come to you!" He said: Then it was revealed: "And do not send away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening seeking His countenance. You are not accountable for them in anything, nor are they accountable for you in anything, so you should send them away and thus be among the wrongdoers." (Sūrah al-Anʿām, 6:52) It was recorded by Aḥmad (1/420) through the route of Asbāṭ in a similar brief manner, and by al-Bazzār (3/48/2209)—and the context is his—through the route of Ibn Jarīr in "al-Tafsīr" (7/137), both from the route of Jarīr ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd, and also by Ibn Jarīr from the route of Abū Zubayd (original: Abū Zayd), and al-Ṭabarānī in "al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr" (10/268/10520) through the route of Yazīd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz—all four—from Ashʿath—al-Bazzār added: Ibn Sawār—from Kurdūs al-Thaqafī from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd who mentioned it. Al-Bazzār said: "We do not know it to be narrated from ʿAbd Allāh except through this isnād." I say: It is weak due to the weakness of Ashʿath ibn Sawār according to the majority, and al-Ḥāfiẓ affirmed his weakness in "al-Taqrīb." As for the statement of al-Haythamī (7/21): "It was narrated by Aḥmad and al-Ṭabarānī. The men of Aḥmad are the men of 'al-Ṣaḥīḥ', except for Kurdūs, and he is trustworthy!"