in suspended form, referring its wording to Asbat’s narration; and he did not identify any defect in it, thereby indicating that he considered it authentic.

And Allah knows best.

I say: This hadith contains an important benefit: the prescribed legal punishment is waived for one who repents with a sound repentance.

Ibn al-Qayyim adopted this view in a discussion in al-I'lam; consult it (30/17–20, al-Sa'adah Press).

901 — “I would not like to imitate anyone, even if I possessed such-and-such.”

Ibn al-Mubarak narrated it in al-Zuhd (189/5, from al-Kawakib, 575), no. 742: Sufyan narrated to us, from Ali ibn al-Aqmar, from Abu Hudhayfah—a man among Abdullah’s companions—from Aishah, who said: “I began to imitate a woman and a man in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then said the above,” adding at the end: “How grave that is!”

I say: Its chain is authentic according to Muslim’s criteria. Abu Nu'aym narrated it in Akhbar Isfahan (2/278) through al-Tirmidhi’s route: Abu Nu'aym narrated to us; Sufyan and Mis'ar narrated to us, with the same wording. Al-Tirmidhi (2/82) said: “A good, authentic hadith.”

902 — “The station of one of you in the cause of Allah is better than sixty years of prayer in seclusion. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you and admit you into Paradise? Fight in the cause of Allah: whoever fights in the cause of Allah for even the brief interval between two milkings of a she-camel is guaranteed Paradise.”