as if he is referring to (al-Ajlah), who is truthful as al-Ḥāfiẓ said, though there is slight criticism of him. Ibn Kathīr said in "al-Bidāyah" (4/136): "This narration from this chain about Ibn ʿAbbās is very strange, and the more likely narration is that of Imām Aḥmad from Jābir; unless al-Ajlah narrated it from al-Dhiyāl from Jābir, and from Ibn ʿAbbās, and Allāh knows best." I said: I believe that if there is an error, it is from Abū Bakr ibn ʿAyyāsh; for he has weakness in his memory, despite being one of al-Bukhārī's narrators. *

- (The wicked of this nation will surely follow the path of those who came before them—the People of the Book—step by step.) It was narrated by Aḥmad (4/125), and al-Ṭabarānī in "al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr" (7/338/7140), and Ibn ʿAdī (4/40) through the route of ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Bahram who said: Shahr ibn Ḥawshab narrated to me: Ibn Ghanm told me that Shaddād ibn Aws narrated to him from the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) in a marfūʿ manner. I said: This isnād is ḥasan in supporting evidences; for Shahr is disputed, and some consider his ḥadīth good, especially from the narration of ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Bahram from him. Al-Haythamī said in "al-Majmaʿ" (7/261): "It was narrated by Aḥmad and al-Ṭabarānī, and its men are disputed." It has many supporting evidences, of which I will mention what is available: the first: from Ibn Masʿūd who said: The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: "You are the most similar nation to the Children of Israel; you will follow their path step by step, until not..