It has another chain from Aisha containing an objectionable addition, which I have documented in al-Da'ifah (6322).

Encouragement to marry a virgin, except where the welfare of young children requires otherwise

3158—“What an excellent choice you made.” He said this to Jabir when Jabir told him that he had married a previously married woman in order that she might serve his younger sisters.

Ahmad (2/358) and Ibn Abi Shaybah, in al-Musannaf (4/417), recorded it. They said: Ubaydah ibn Humayd narrated to us, from al-Aswad ibn Qays al-Abdi, from Nubayh ibn Abd Allah al-Anazi, from Jabir ibn Abd Allah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me:

“O Jabir, do you have a wife?”

I replied, “Yes.”

He asked, “Did you marry a previously married woman or a virgin?”

I replied, “I married her when she was previously married.” He said, “Why did you not marry a young virgin?”

I said to him, “My father was killed alongside you on such-and-such a day, leaving behind young girls. I disliked bringing into their home a young girl like one of them, so I married a previously married woman who would kill the lice of one of them and mend the garment of one of them when it tore.”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then said: … and he mentioned it.

The wording of the chain is that of Ibn Abi Shaybah. Its text contains numerous typographical errors, which are corrected from its wording here; this is Ahmad’s version.

I say: Its chain of transmission is authentic. Its narrators are trustworthy, and are narrators of the two Sahihs, apart from this Nubayh. Abu Zur'ah, al-Ijli, and Ibn Hibban declared him trustworthy; al-Tirmidhi authenticated a report from him—and explicitly declared him trustworthy—as did Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim. Abu Khalid al-Dalani also narrated from him. As for al-Hafiz, he said: