I say: This al-Baghawi was deemed “trustworthy” by al-Daraqutni. The way to reconcile their two narrations is that both are sound and established: one of them narrated this version, and the other narrated that version, as is indicated by the hadith under discussion and by others mentioned previously. This is further supported by what follows.

Hammad—meaning Ibn Salamah—has another chain of transmission, if it is authentically attributed to him. It is narrated by Muhammad ibn al-Sakan al-Ayli, who said: Mu'ammal ibn Isma'il narrated to us; Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us; Thabit al-Bunani narrated to us, from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla, from al-Bara' ibn 'Azib, who said: “When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, retired to his bed, he would say...” and then he mentioned it.

Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Awsat (1/68/2/1258 and 2/72/6188) through two of his shaykhs, who both said: Muhammad ibn al-Sakan al-Ayli narrated to us, with this chain. He said: “Mu'ammal ibn Isma'il was alone in narrating it.”

I say: He was truthful but had poor retention, as stated in al-Taqrib. As for Muhammad ibn al-Sakan al-Ayli, I do not know whether he is the one mentioned in al-Mizan: “Muhammad ibn al-Sakan, from 'Abd Allah ibn Bukayr: unknown, and his report is rejected. Al-Bukhari said: ‘There is cause for scrutiny in the chain of his hadith...’” Yet the entry in Tarikh al-Bukhari (1/1/111) reads: “Muhammad ibn Sukayn...” The same is found in al-Jarh and al-Thiqat (9/67).

The hadith was also narrated from Abu Ishaq, from 'Asim ibn Damrah, from 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, who then mentioned it as an account of the Prophet’s practice, peace and blessings be upon him. Al-Tabarani recorded it (2/901/239) through 'Ali ibn 'Abis, from him.