Ibn Lahīʿah is weak.
Imām Aḥmad narrated, through Ibn ʿUlayyah, from Ibn ʿAwn, from Nāfiʿ, who said:
“While Ibn ʿUmar was in the marketplace the death of Ḥujr was announced to him; he immediately loosened the cloth that bound his knees, rose to his feet, and was overcome by deep sorrow (1).”
Imām Aḥmad likewise narrated, through ʿAffān, through Ibn ʿUlayyah, through Ayyūb, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Mulaykah—or someone else—who said:
“When Muʿāwiyah arrived in Madinah he visited ʿĀʾishah. She asked, ‘Did you kill Ḥujr?’
He replied, ‘Mother of the Believers, [I deemed the killing of Ḥujr to be for the welfare of the ummah—or he said: for the welfare of the people. In another wording] (2): “I considered that killing one man when it served the people’s welfare was better than sparing him when that would corrupt them” (3).’”
Ḥammād ibn Salamah reported, from ʿAlī ibn Zayd, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, from Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam, who said:
“I entered with Muʿāwiyah upon the Mother of the Believers ʿĀʾishah, and she said, ‘O Muʿāwiyah, you killed Ḥujr and his companions and did what you did. Were you not afraid that I might conceal someone who would kill you?’
He answered, ‘No. I am in a house of safety; I heard the Messenger of Allah—blessings and peace be upon him—say:
“Faith restrains treacherous killing; a believer does not commit treacherous killing.” (4)
O Mother of the Believers, how am I with respect to your other needs and concerns?’
She said, ‘You are fine.’
He said, ‘Then leave the matter between me and Ḥujr until we meet before our Lord—exalted is He—(5).’
[In another wording: she screened herself from him and said, ‘He shall never enter upon me again.’ He continued to speak gently until he was admitted; she censured him severely for killing Ḥujr, and he kept presenting excuses until she accepted them] (6).
In yet another narration: she would often threaten him, saying, ‘Were it not that our foolish ones overpower us, Muʿāwiyah and I would have reckoned with one another over his killing of Ḥujr.’ When he apologized she pardoned him—though with some forbearance, and Allah knows best—(7) (8).