The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

Al-Tirmidhī said: “A good, authentic, singular hadith by way of this chain.”

I say: Its chain of transmission is authentic according to the criteria of the two Shaykhs. Al-Dārimī and Ibn Ḥibbān do not include its middle sentence. Abū Dāwūd (4899) recorded it from Wakīʿ, who said: Hishām ibn ʿUrwah narrated to us through this chain, with only its final sentence, adding: “Do not speak ill of him.”

It has a corroborating report from the hadith of Ibn ʿAbbās with the same wording, except for the final sentence. Ibn Mājah (1977), Ibn Ḥibbān (1315), and al-Ḍiyāʾ in al-Mukhtārah (63/9/2) recorded it by way of ʿUmārah ibn Thawbān, from ʿAṭāʾ, from him.

Al-Ḥākim (4/173) also recorded only its first half, with the wording:

“The best of you are those who are best to women.”

He said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabī concurred with him!

This is strange on his part, for al-Dhahabī listed this ʿUmārah in al-Ḍuʿafāʾ, saying: “A junior Successor, unknown.”

Al-Ḥāfiẓ said in al-Taqrīb: “His status is unestablished.”

It also has a corroborating report from the hadith of Ibn ʿAmr, with the wording:

“The best of you are those who are best to their wives.”

Ibn Mājah (1978) recorded it from Abū Khālid, from al-Aʿmash, from Shaqīq, from Masrūq, from him.

I say: This chain of transmission appears to be authentic. For this reason, al-Būṣīrī said in al-Zawāʾid (fol. 125 /