Even so, Ḥammād ibn Zayd contradicted him: “Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd narrated to us from Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir that Abū Qatādah had let his hair grow…” He then cited the rest of the hadith and transmitted it as a mursal report. Al-Bayhaqī recorded it.

This is further supported by Sufyān—meaning al-Thawrī—who followed him, saying: “Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir said: ‘Abū Qatādah had hair…’” He cited the hadith in similar terms, except that he said: “He would oil it one day and leave it the next.” Al-Bayhaqī transmitted it. This confirms the objectionable nature of Ibn Muqaddam’s report, and accords with the authentic hadith—something to be expected of this noble Companion.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Mizzī indicated in al-Tuḥfah (9/264) that the mursal version is preferable, saying: “Al-Mufaḍḍal ibn Faḍālah narrated it from Ibn Jurayj, from ʿAṭāʾ, from Ibn al-Munkadir, that Abū Qatādah…” and then mentioned it. Hishām ibn ʿUrwah also narrated it from Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, but he said: “from Jābir.” This narration, together with other supporting reports for the hadith under discussion that confirm its authenticity, has preceded under the hadith referred to above (666).

Among its supporting reports is what Ibn Abī Shaybah recorded in al-Muṣannaf (8/448): “Ibn Idrīs narrated to us from Yaḥyā, from—[the original reads: ibn]—ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Qatādah,” who said it; then he cited it as a mursal report. This is an authentic mursal chain of transmission. Perhaps ʿAbd Allāh received it from his father, Abū Qatādah. Allah knows best.

Note: In his annotation on the hadith under discussion, Shaykh Ḥabīb al-Raḥmān al-Aʿẓamī mentioned the preceding narration of al-Nasāʾī from Abū Qatādah without comment, thereby giving readers the impression that it contains no defect. This is his practice in most of his annotations. Allah is the One whose help is sought.