Who is Hisham? He said: The son of 'Amir. She said: What a fine man he was; he participated in the Battle of Uhud along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Hakim b. Aflah said: If I ever knew that you do not go to 'A'isha, I would not have informed you about her hadith (So that you would have gone to her and heard it from her orally).
The Book of Prayer - Travellers
Sahih Muslim 746 d
Commentary on the Narration
This tradition presents Hisham ibn 'Amir al-Ansari, a noble Companion of the Prophet (ﷺ) from the Ansar of Medina. His participation in the Battle of Uhud demonstrates his early acceptance of Islam and his willingness to sacrifice for the faith. The battle of Uhud was a severe trial for the Muslims, and those who stood firm with the Messenger (ﷺ) during that difficult hour occupy a distinguished station.
The second portion reveals the meticulous methodology of hadith transmission. Hakim ibn Aflah's statement reflects the scholarly principle of preferring direct oral transmission (sama') from the original source over indirect reporting (wajadah). This ensures greater accuracy and preserves the chain of narration's integrity. His remark indicates that had he known the listener would not seek 'A'isha directly, he would have withheld the narration to encourage personal attendance upon this Mother of the Believers, who was among the most knowledgeable narrators of Prophetic traditions.