864 – Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed the muḥallil (the man who marries a divorced woman solely to make her lawful for her first husband) and the muḥallal lahu (the first husband for whom this is done).” It was narrated by Aḥmad, al-Nasāʾī, and al-Tirmidhī, who declared it authentic (1). A corroborating narration from ʿAlī was transmitted by the Four Compilers except al-Nasāʾī (2).
Hadith grading:
This hadith is ṣaḥīḥ (authentic).
It reaches us from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd through two principal chains:
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The first chain was recorded by Aḥmad, al-Nasāʾī, al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Abī Shaybah, and al-Bayhaqī. Al-Tirmidhī said, “A ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ (good and authentic) hadith.” Ibn al-Qaṭṭān judged it sound, and Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd stated that it meets al-Bukhārī’s criteria.
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The second chain comes through Abū al-Wāṣil from Ibn Masʿūd; it was recorded by Isḥāq. All the transmitters are trustworthy and belong to the narrators of Muslim, except Abū al-Wāṣil, who is unknown.
Supporting chains include:
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The report of Abū Hurayrah, recorded by Aḥmad, Isḥāq, al-Tirmidhī in his ʿIlal, Ibn al-Jārūd, and al-Bayhaqī; al-Bukhārī graded it ḥasan (fair).
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The report of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, recorded by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, and al-Bayhaqī through various routes from al-Shaʿbī, from al-Ḥārith, from ʿAlī. Aḥmad also narrates it via Abū Isḥāq. In its chain is al-Ḥārith al-Aʿwar, who is weak and therefore suspect.