941 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said: “The pen is lifted from three: from the sleeper until he wakes, from the child until he attains puberty, and from the insane person until he regains reason or recovers.” Reported by Aḥmad and by the Four except al-Tirmidhī, declared sound by al-Ḥākim, and also recorded by Ibn Ḥibbān (1).

Grading of the ḥadīth
This ḥadīth is ṣaḥīḥ (authentic). It is transmitted through the lines of ʿĀʾishah, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and Abū Qatādah.

The report of ʿĀʾishah was collected by Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasāʾī, al-Dārimī, Ibn Ḥibbān, al-Ḥākim, and Aḥmad. Al-Ḥākim said, “Authentic according to Muslim’s criteria,” and al-Dhahabī concurred. All its narrators are trustworthy; Muslim relied on each of them, some narrating from others.

The report of ʿAlī is stronger than that of ʿĀʾishah, for her narration comes by a single chain, whereas ʿAlī’s ḥadīth is supported by four independent chains and is authentic.

As for the report of Abū Qatādah, al-Ḥākim produced it and said, “Its isnād is authentic.”

There are further narrations on this topic from Abū Hurayrah, Thawbān, Ibn ʿAbbās, Shaddād ibn Aws, and a number of other Companions, though the isnād of each contains some weakness.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar gathered many additional routes with similar wording and remarked, “These chains strengthen one another.” Ibn Khuzaymah and al-Suyūṭī ruled the ḥadīth authentic, and al-Zaylaʿī said, “Its chain is strong.”