As for the one who narrated it from al-Haytham, Ahmad ibn Mula'ib al-Baghdadi, he was a trustworthy hadith master. He has a substantial biographical notice in Tarikh Baghdad (5/168–170), and al-Dhahabi described him in al-Siyar (13/42) as “the imam, hadith scholar, and hadith master...” He then cited Ibn Khirash and others who declared him trustworthy.

As for the hadith of Abu Sa'id mentioned above, when documenting it in al-Irwa', I had cited al-Haythami’s statement:

“Al-Bazzar narrated it through Ruh ibn Hatim, who is weak, while the rest of its narrators are trustworthy.”

I then came across its chain of transmission, and it became clear to me that al-Haythami had erred in declaring its narrator, Ruh ibn Hatim, weak, having mistaken him for another. For al-Bazzar said (2/170/1450): “Ruh ibn Hatim Abu Ghassan narrated to us; Mahdi ibn Isa narrated to us; Abbad ibn Abbad al-Muhallabi narrated to us; Sa'id ibn Yazid Abu Maslamah narrated to us from Abu Nadrah, from Abu Sa'id, in a report attributed to the Prophet similar to the hadith under discussion.” It describes the woman as “dark-cheeked.” Al-Bazzar said:

“We know of no report from Abu Sa'id except through this chain of transmission. Abu Maslamah is trustworthy, and Mahdi al-Wasiti is acceptable.”

I say: Bahshal mentioned him in Tarikh Wasit (168) and cited his narration of the hadith of the three men who took refuge in the cave. In keeping with his usual practice, he mentioned no criticism or declaration of trustworthiness concerning him. Ibn Abi Hatim reported from his father:

“Truthful.”

Abu Zur'ah narrated from him, so he was trustworthy in his view; Ibn Hibban also mentioned him in al-Thiqat (9/201). All the other narrators in the chain are trustworthy narrators of Muslim, apart from Ruh ibn Hatim Abu Ghassan. Ibn Abi Hatim said (1/2/500):