It was transmitted by Ibn Majah (1/238), Ibn Hibban (277), al-Bayhaqi, al-Tayalisi (1/73/295), and Ahmad (1/389 and 410). I say: Its narrators are trustworthy and are narrators of al-Bukhari, except that ‘Ata’ ibn al-Sa’ib became confused in his later years.

The hadith also has a corroborating report, narrated by Mu‘awiyah ibn Salih from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari, from ‘A’ishah, attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “There is no late-night conversation except for three: one who is praying, a traveler, or a newlywed.” It was transmitted by Samawayh in al-Fawa’id (Benefits) (38/2), and by al-Diya’ al-Maqdisi in al-Mukhtarah (The Selected Collection), as cited in Nayl al-Awtar (Attainment of the Goals).

I say: Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari was mentioned by Ibn Abi Hatim in al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil (Narrator Criticism and Accreditation) (4/2/400) in connection with this report, but he mentioned no criticism or accreditation concerning him. In sum, the hadith is good in my view. And Allah knows best.

Then I found another chain for it, by which it rises to the level of authentic: Ibrahim ibn Yusuf narrated to us: Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated to us, from Mansur, from Habib ibn Abi Thabit, from Ziyad ibn Hudayr, from ‘Abd Allah, with it. Abu Nu‘aym transmitted it in al-Hilyah (The Adornment) (4/198) through two routes from him. I say: This chain is acceptable for corroborative reports. Ziyad ibn Hudayr—given in the original as “Ibn Jarir,” which is an error—was known as Abu al-Mughirah al-Asadi, and he was trustworthy. All its narrators apart from Ibrahim ibn Yusuf are trustworthy narrators of the two Sahihs. He was al-Hadrami al-Kindi. Al-Nasa’i said: “He is not strong.” Musa ibn Ishaq said: “Trustworthy.”