57 – Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent out a military detachment and ordered them to wipe over their ʿaṣāʾib—that is, their turbans—and over the tasākhīn, meaning their leather socks (khuff).” It was narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud, and al-Hakim declared it authentic. ⦗1⦘

Hadith grading
Al-Hakim judged the report sound, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him in his abridgement.
Al-Muḥarrar states: “It was transmitted by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Abu Yaʿla al-Mawsili, and al-Hakim, who said it meets Muslim’s criteria.” This claim, however, is questionable, for the chain passes through Thawr ibn Zayd from Rashid ibn Saʿd from Thawban; Muslim did not narrate from Thawr—Bukhari alone did. Rashid ibn Saʿd was not relied upon by either of the two Shaykhs, though he was declared trustworthy by Ibn Maʿin, Abu Hatim, al-ʿIjli, Yaʿqub ibn Shaybah, and al-Nasaʾi; Ibn Hazm dissented, but the preponderant view is with the former scholars.
Al-Hafiz said in al-Dirayah (1/72): “Its chain is broken.” Al-Bayhaqi deemed it weak, and Bukhari commented, “The hadith is not sound.”

Vocabulary
• sariyya (pl. saraya): a detachment of the army, so named because it moves out quietly. It may number from five up to three hundred men, or about four hundred if cavalry are included. In prophetic biography, any expedition in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was not present is called a sariyya, whereas one he personally joined is termed a ghazwah.
• ʿaṣāʾib (sing. ʿiṣābah): whatever is wrapped around the head, such as a cloth band.
• ʿimāmah (turban): a cloth wound around the head.