Sahih Muslim Introduction 20
Muhammad bin Rāfi’ narrated to me, Abd ur-Razzāq narrated to us, Ma’mar informed us, on authority of Ibn Tāwus, on authority of his father, on authority of Ibn Abbās, he said:
‘Indeed we would take Ḥadīth and they would be taken on authority of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah upon him. However if you take every difficult and docile [narration] then how far that is [from being upright]!
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَحْفَظُ الْحَدِيثَ وَالْحَدِيثُ يُحْفَظُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَّا إِذْ رَكِبْتُمْ كُلَّ صَعْبٍ وَذَلُولٍ فَهَيْهَاتَ ‏.‏