I say: Its chain of transmission is sound. Al-Nasa’i also recorded it (2/287 and 302) through two other routes from Ali, and Ahmad (1/147) recorded it through another route. It is further corroborated by the hadith of al-Bara’ ibn Azib, recorded by al-Bukhari and others; it has been fully referenced in al-Mishkat (4358, second critical edition) and Adab al-Zifaf (125). In Sahih Muslim (6/139–140), Ibn Umar said: “His saddle-cushion was crimson.” He said this in response to one who attributed to him the view that a crimson saddle-cushion is forbidden.

2397 — “He prohibited reviling the dead.”

Al-Hakim (1/385) narrated it from Shu‘bah, from Mis‘ar, from Ziyad ibn Alaqah, from his uncle: “Al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah reviled Ali ibn Abi Talib, so Zayd ibn Arqam rose and said to him: ‘O Mughirah, do you not know that the Messenger of Allah prohibited reviling the dead? Why, then, do you revile Ali when he has died?’” He said: “Authentic according to Muslim’s criteria,” and al-Dhahabi agreed with him.

I say: It is as they both said. The uncle of Ziyad ibn Alaqah was named Qutbah ibn Malik. There is, however, disagreement over its chain as transmitted from Mis‘ar: Shu‘bah narrated it from him in this manner, whereas Muhammad ibn Bishr differed, saying: Mis‘ar narrated to us from al-Hajjaj, the freedman of Banu Tha‘labah, from Qutbah ibn Malik, the uncle of Ziyad ibn Alaqah, who said: “Al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah spoke ill of Ali, whereupon Zayd ibn Arqam said …” the hadith. Ahmad (4/369) and Abu Nu‘aym, in Akhbar Isfahan (2/153), recorded it. Waki‘ also corroborated him, saying: Mis‘ar narrated to us from Abu Ayyub, the freedman of Banu Tha‘labah, from Qutbah ibn Malik with the same report.