he ignored the statements of the imams unanimously affirming his reliability, and clung to Abū Dāwūd's criticism of him for his school of thought, even though he included him in "his Sunan," knowing that this does not harm his integrity or the authenticity of his ḥadīth according to scholars, both explicitly and implicitly, especially since the ḥadīth has no connection to the attributes; as will be mentioned by Ibn Taymiyyah. Moreover, he was followed in the first aspect as you have seen, so the mentioned criticism does not harm him even if it were a detriment to his trustworthiness. But this is the nature of the people of desires; they do not sincerely engage in scholarly research, but rather follow only what aligns with their inclinations! And Allāh is the one whose help is sought. Know that this ḥadīth has come with an additional wording in some of its paths: "The stronghold of the believers is in Syria." I had previously extracted it in the Raj volume (1935), and I have re-extracted it here for the ḥadīth of the chapter, correcting my previous extraction of it in "al-Ḍaʿīfah" in the third volume (1097), but from the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah. This is a strong corroboration for it from the ḥadīth of Salamah ibn Nufayl, which necessitated my extraction of it here and pointing out that the ḥadīth has become authentic with it, and all praise is due to Allāh for His guidance, and I ask Him for more of His grace. This; and it seems that Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allāh have mercy on him) leans towards the authenticity of the ḥadīth, for I saw that he was asked about the ḥadīth: "The Black Stone is the right hand of Allāh on earth," and about this ḥadīth in "Majmūʿ al-Fatāwá" (6/397-398)? He weakened the first, but not this one, and explained its meaning, indicating that it is apparent in it; he said: "So his statement regarding 'Yemen' clarifies the purpose of the ḥadīth; for Yemen has no particular association with the attributes of Allāh Almighty that one might assume such, but from there came those whom He loves and who love Him, those who..
فتعامى عن أقوال الأئمة المجمعة على توثيقه، وتشبث بذم أبي داود إياه لمذهبه، وقد أخرج له في "سننه "، وهو يعلم أن ذلك لا يضر في عدالته وصحة حديثه عند العلماء تنصيصاً وتفريعاً، مع أن الحديث ليس له علاقة بالصفات؛ كما يأتي عن ابن تيمية. على أنه قد توبع في الوجه الأول كما رأيت، فلا يضره الذم المذكور لو كان قدحاً في ثقته، ولكن هذا هو شأن أهل الأهواء؛ لا يخلصون للبحث العلمي، وإنما يتبعون منه ما يوافق أهواءهم! والله المستعان. واعلم أن هذا الحديث قد جاء في بعض طرقه زيادة أخرى بلفظ:"عقر دار المؤمنين بالشام". وكنت خرجته في المجلد الراج (١٩٣٥) ، فأعدت تخريجه هنا لحديث الترجمة، مستدركاً به على تخريجي إياه في "الضعيفة" في المجلد الثالث (١٠٩٧) ، لكن من حديث أبي هريرة، فهذا شاهد قوي له من حديث سلمة بن نفيل، أوجب علي تخريجه هنا، والتنبيه على أن الحديث صار به صحيحاً، والحمد لله على توفيقه، وأسأله المزيد من فضله. هذا؛ ويبدو أن شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية ﵀ يذهب إلى ثبوت الحديث، فقد رأيته سئل عن حديث: "الحجر الأسود يمين الله في الأرض "، وعن هذا الحديث في "مجموع الفتاوى" (٦/٣٩٧ ـ ٣٩٨) ؟ فضعف الأول، دون هذا، وقال مبيناً معناه، وأنه ظاهر فيه؛ فقال:"فقوله في: "اليمن " يبين مقصود الحديث؛ فإنه ليس لليمن اختصاص بصفات الله تعالى حتى يظن ذلك، ولكن منها جاء الذين يحبهم ويحبونه، الذين