al-Wasit (3/190/2), through several chains from Ubayd Allah ibn Zahr, from Ali ibn Yazid, from al-Qasim ibn Abd al-Rahman, from Abu Umamah, from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, with this wording. Al-Tabarani likewise narrated it in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir (8/7805, 7825, 7855, 7861, and 7862).

Al-Tirmidhi said: “It is a singular hadith. It is narrated only through the hadith of al-Qasim from Abu Umamah. Al-Qasim is trustworthy, whereas Ali ibn Yazid is considered weak in hadith.” This was stated by Muhammad ibn Isma‘il.

Al-Bayhaqi related that al-Tirmidhi said: “I asked al-Bukhari about the chain of transmission of this hadith, and he replied: ‘Ali ibn Yazid’s hadith is discarded.’ He declared Ubayd Allah ibn Zahr and al-Qasim ibn Abd al-Rahman trustworthy.”

I say: Al-Faraj ibn Fadalah al-Himsi corroborated him from Ali ibn Yazid with the same report, but without mention of the verse. Ahmad narrated it (5/257 and 268), as did al-Tayalisi (1134).

Ibn Majah (2168) and Ibn Asakir (2/425/1) also narrated it from Abu al-Muhallab, from Ubayd Allah al-Ifriqi, from Abu Umamah, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade the sale and purchase of singing slave-girls, earning income through them, and consuming their sale proceeds.”

This Abu al-Muhallab was Matrah ibn Yazid al-Kufi, and he was weak. Al-Ifriqi was Ubayd Allah ibn Zahr himself, so it appears that Abu al-Muhallab omitted his shaykh, Ali ibn Yazid al-Alhani. This further indicates his weakness.