Thus, Ibn Saʿd (3/394) narrated through a sound chain from Ibn Shihāb that ʿUthmān ibn Maẓʿūn wished to castrate himself and travel about the land. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said to him:

“Do I not provide you with an excellent example? I have relations with women, eat meat, fast, and break my fast. The castration of my Ummah is fasting; and whoever castrates or has himself castrated is not of my Ummah.”

Al-Ḥusayn al-Marwazī also narrated it in Zawāʾid al-Zuhd (1106), by way of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ziyād ibn Anʿum, from Saʿd ibn Masʿūd, who said: ʿUthmān ibn Maẓʿūn said … and he cited something similar to it, but without the words: “and whoever is not of my Ummah …” However, Ibn al-Mubārak himself narrated it in al-Zuhd (845), by way of Rushdayn ibn Saʿd, who said: Ibn Anʿum narrated it to me in a version more complete than this.

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Anʿum is weak because of his poor retention, and Rushdayn is likewise. Al-Marwazī (1107) and Aḥmad (3/378 and 3/382–383) then narrated, by way of an unnamed man, from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh, who said: A young man came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “Will you permit me to be castrated?” He replied: “Fast, and ask Allah of His bounty.”

Its chain of transmission is authentic, were it not for the unnamed man. In conclusion, the hadith, taken together through these chains, is authentic; except for the mention of prayer at night, which is rejected. And Allah knows best.

It is further supported by the hadith reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim from Ibn Masʿūd, traced back to the Prophet: “O young men, whoever among you is able to marry should marry, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and better in safeguarding chastity. Whoever is unable to do so should fast, for it will curb his desire.”