'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad informed us, saying: I heard my father saying regarding the hadith of Ibn 'Umar: "I have not seen anyone after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was 'aswad' (black/generous) more than Mu'awiyah." He said: "Its interpretation is: more generous than him." Abu Bakr al-Khallal said: This interpretation has been narrated from Ahmad ibn Hanbal by more than one trustworthy person, among them: Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna, the companion of Bishr ibn al-Harith (may Allah have mercy on him), and al-Duri, who related it from some of his companions, and I do not think but that he heard it from Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna, because they both narrated the hadith from Nuh ibn Yazid.
