“It has a mursal corroborating report.” In sum, the hadith is good when its two chains are taken together. And Allah knows best.

It also has another corroborating report with a continuous chain, narrated by Yazid ibn Abi Habib from Saʿd ibn Sinan, from him, attributed to the Prophet: “Undertake six things for me, and I will undertake Paradise for you.” They asked, “What are they?” He said: “When one of you speaks, let him not lie; when he promises, let him not break his promise; when entrusted, let him not betray the trust; restrain your hands; and guard your private parts.” Al-Kharaʾiti narrated it in Makarim al-Akhlaq (p. 30), as did al-Hakim (4/359), as corroboration for the preceding report. In my view, its chain is good: all its narrators are reliable except Saʿd ibn Sinan, who is truthful but has isolated reports. Thus, the hadith is authentic on its basis.

1471 — “Seek Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan. If you are overcome, then do not be overcome with regard to the remaining seven nights.”

ʿAbd Allah ibn Ahmad narrated it in Zawaʾid al-Musnad (1/133): Suwayd ibn Saʿid narrated to me: ʿAbd al-Hamid ibn al-Hasan al-Hilali informed me, from Abu Ishaq, from Hubayrah ibn Yarim, from ʿAli, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it.

I say: This is a weak chain. Suwayd ibn Saʿid is weak, and his teacher al-Hilali is truthful but makes mistakes. The rest of its narrators are reliable, notwithstanding Abu Ishaq’s confusion in his later years—he is al-Subayʿi—and his concealment in transmission. Yet the hadith is authentic, for it has a strong corroborating report narrated by Shuʿbah from ʿUqbah ibn Hurayth, who said: I heard Ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both, say that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it in the wording: “Seek it in the last ten nights”—meaning Laylat al-Qadr—“and if one of you becomes weak or is unable” (in another narration: “or is overcome”), “then let him not be overcome with regard to the remaining seven nights.” Muslim narrated it (3/170), as did al-Tayalisi (958, according to its arrangement), and from him al-Bayhaqi (4/311), and Ahmad (2/44, 75, 78, and 91). The other narration is also recorded by Ahmad.