“Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi concurred with him, and it is as they said.
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Al-Hakim (4/200 and 401) and al-Diya’ in al-Ahadith al-Mukhtarah (folio 106/1) recorded it from Ubayd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn A’ishah; and Abu Ya‘la in his Musnad (3/953)—and al-Diya’ through him—from Ruh ibn ‘Ubadah. Both said: Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us from Humayd, from Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said it.
Al-Hakim said: “Authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.” Al-Dhahabi concurred with him, and it is as they said. Some, however, raised an objection that does not undermine it. Ibn Abi Hatim said in al-‘Ilal (2/337): “I asked my father and Abu Zur‘ah about a hadith narrated by Ruh ibn ‘Ubadah and Ibn A’ishah from Hammad”—I said: he then cited it—“My father said: ‘Musa ibn Isma‘il and others narrated it from Hammad ibn Salamah, from Humayd, from al-Hasan, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him; and this is more likely.’ Abu Zur‘ah said: ‘This is an error. Rather, it is Humayd from al-Hasan, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and that is the correct version.’”
I say: It appears to me that both the report with a continuous chain to the Prophet and the mursal report are authentic. There is nothing to prevent Humayd from having received it through both routes and narrating it sometimes in this manner and sometimes in that manner; then Hammad ibn Salamah likewise received it both ways and narrated it accordingly. And Allah knows best.
Al-Suyuti also attributed the hadith in al-Jami‘ to al-Nasa’i. Apparently, he meant al-Sunan al-Kubra, as is supported by the fact that al-Hafiz al-Mizzi mentioned that al-Nasa’i recorded it in the Book of Medicine. It is not found in the books of his well-known Lesser Sunan, known as al-Mujtaba. And Allah knows best.
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