Suppose two routes transmit the same report as “Zayd ʿan Khālid,” while a third has “Zayd ʿan Bakr ʿan Khālid.” The question is whether Zayd received this particular report directly from Khālid or through Bakr.
Three possibilities:
1. The shorter routes inadvertently omitted Bakr.
2. The longer route mistakenly inserted Bakr.
3. Zayd genuinely received the report both directly and through Bakr.
Neither the extra intermediary nor a two-to-one count decides the issue. Evidence of hearing for this report, the transmitters’ precision, other preserved routes, and chronological and textual indicators must be weighed. Both routes may be genuine, or comparative evidence may identify an error.