al-Tirmidhī judged the report—with its continuous chain reaching the Prophet—to be sound (ḥasan). It is further supported by numerous corroborative narrations, although some scholars have classified it as mursal (with a missing Companion in the chain).

As for the version recorded by Ibn Mājah, al-Būṣīrī observes in his Zawāʾid: its chain contains Ḥajjāj ibn Arṭāʾah, a narrator known for tadlīs, frequent mistakes, and omissions; moreover, he relates it with the ambiguous formula “ʿan” (ʿanʿana).

With respect to Aḥmad’s rendition, the author here—as in his Takhliṣ al-Ḥabīr—remains silent about its grading; it too is transmitted through Ḥajjāj ibn Arṭāʾah.

Glossary of ḥadith terms and phrases:
• “The wife of Thābit”: Some reports name her Jamīlah; others say Zaynab bint ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl al-Anṣāriyyah al-Khazrajiyyah; a third view identifies her as Jamīlah bint Sahl; yet the majority of narrations call her Ḥabībah bint Sahl. Al-Ḥāfiẓ comments: It appears to me that these are two separate incidents involving two different women, given the fame of both reports, the soundness of their respective chains, and the divergence in their wording.

• “I do not fault him”: I find no defect in him—neither in his religion, nor in his character, nor in the way he lives with me.

• “Character” (khuluq): pronounced with a ḍamma on both the khāʾ and the lām, ending with a qāf. It refers to praiseworthy inner qualities that produce honorable social conduct.

• “I dislike falling into unbelief after Islam”: meaning, I fear committing deeds, or engaging in marital conduct, that Islam forbids; yet my aversion and dislike for him may drive me to such wrongdoing.

• “His garden”: a walled orchard; it was the bridal gift (ṣadāq) he had given her.

• “Dameeman” (ugly): with a plain dāl. The verb is damma–yadammu (pattern faʿala–yafʿalu), damāmah (“ugliness”). Quadriliteral forms in this pattern are rare. The word denotes an unattractive appearance and small stature, as though derived from dimmah—“a small ant.” One says: “He is dameem” (plural damam); “she is dameemah” (plural damāʾim).