passed by. The Prophet invited him to eat, and he did. His finger touched mine, and he said, “Ouch! Oh, oh! If he had heeded my counsel regarding you, no eye would have seen you.” Then the verse of hijab was revealed.

It was reported by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (1053), al-Nasa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra, in the section on exegesis (6/435), al-Tabarani in al-Mu‘jam al-Saghir (p. 45, Indian edition; no. 801 in al-Rawd al-Nadir), and also in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat (1/166/2/3100, according to my numbering). Abu Nu‘aym likewise narrated it from al-Tabarani in Akhbar Isfahan (1/188), through Musa ibn Abi Kathir, from Mujahid, from her.

I say: Its chain of transmission is good. Al-Suyuti said in al-Durr al-Manthur (5/213)—attributing it also to Ibn Abi Hatim, al-Tabarani, and Ibn Mardawayh:

“Its chain is authentic.”

Al-Haythami said in al-Majma‘ (7/93):

“Al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat. All its narrators are found in the Sahih collections, apart from Musa ibn Abi Kathir, who is trustworthy.”

Al-Dhahabi likewise declared him trustworthy in al-Kashif, while Ibn Hajar said in al-Taqrib:

“Truthful; accused of holding Murji’ beliefs. Those who deemed him weak were mistaken.”

I say: Al-Haythami overlooked the fact that it is also in al-Mu‘jam al-Saghir. Ibn Hajar made no comment on its chain in Fath al-Bari (8/531), thereby indicating that he regarded it as strengthened, after attributing it only to al-Nasa’i. He mentioned it after the hadith under discussion and the account of Zaynab, saying:

“The two reports may be reconciled by holding that this occurred before the account of Zaynab. Because it was close to that event, Aishah ascribed the revelation of hijab to this cause; and there is no objection to there having been multiple causes.”

The point is that these hadiths invalidate the earlier claim of the author of al-Tahrir that Zaynab, had she