Mu‘ādh — the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, I and Mu‘ādh(1) are near these two," or something similar to this.(2)

794 — Al-Qa‘nabī narrated to us, from Mālik, from Abū al-Zinād, from al-A‘raj, from Abū Hurayrah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you leads the people in prayer, let him shorten it, for among them are the weak, the sick, and the elderly. And when he prays alone, let him lengthen it as he wishes."(3)

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(1) Thus in (A), (B), (C), and (D): Mu‘ādh, in the nominative, and it may be explained that Mu‘ādh is the subject whose predicate has been omitted. In (E) — which is the narration of Ibn Dāsah — it is Mu‘ādhan, in the accusative, following the standard pattern. Al-Ḥāfiẓ indicated in his copy that it is likewise in the narration of Ibn al-A‘rābī. See "Khizānat al-Adab" 10/312–322.

(2) Authentic due to corroborating evidence, and this chain is strong because of Muḥammad ibn ‘Ajlān, while the rest of its narrators are trustworthy. Al-Baghawī also narrated it in "Sharḥ al-Sunnah" (601) from the author's path, with this chain. Ibn Khuzaymah (1634) and al-Bayhaqī 3/116–117 narrated it in extended form from Yaḥyā ibn Ḥabīb, with it. The story of Mu‘ādh has preceded under number (790), and in abbreviated form under numbers (599) and (600).

(3) Its chain is authentic. Al-Qa‘nabī: he is ‘Abd Allāh ibn Maslamah, and Abū al-Zinād: he is ‘Abd Allāh ibn Dhakwān, and al-A‘raj: he is ‘Abd Allāh ibn Hurmuz. It is in "Muwaṭṭa’ Mālik" 1/134, and from his path al-Bukhārī (703) and al-Nasā’ī in "al-Kubrā" (899) narrated it. It is in "Musnad Aḥmad" (10306), and "Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān" (1760). Muslim (467) (183) and al-Tirmidhī (233) narrated it from the path of al-Mughīrah ibn ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Ḥizāmī, from Abū al-Zinād, with it. Muslim (467) (184) narrated it from the path of Hammām ibn Munabbih, and Muslim (467) (185) from the path of Abū Bakr ibn ‘Abd al-Raḥmān, both from Abū Hurayrah. And see what follows.