of al-Iḥyāʾ (1/140), then al-Zabīdī in Sharḥ al-Iḥyāʾ (1/407), and, before them, al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Mundhirī in al-Targhīb (1/89/4).
I say: This is a sound chain of transmission, with a continuous chain, Allah willing. To establish this, it is necessary to discuss its narrators one by one:
- ʿUbayd ibn Abī Suwayyah: He is ascribed to his grandfather; thus, he is ʿUbayd ibn Suwayyah ibn Abī Suwayyah al-Anṣārī, Abū Suwayyah al-Miṣrī. Al-Ḥāfiẓ mentioned him in his book al-Tahdhīb, citing four reliable narrators who transmitted from him. He noted a disagreement concerning his name and kunyah, and said:
“The correct form is Abū Suwayyah.”
This is likewise how he appears in another hadith narrated by Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Ḥibbān, and Ibn Khuzaymah as well; its referencing has previously appeared under no. 642. He then said:
“Al-Nasāʾī narrated in al-Kunā, through Yaḥyā ibn Abī Usayd, from ʿUbayd ibn Abī Suwayyah, that he heard Subayʿah al-Aslamiyyah say: ‘I entered upon ʿĀʾishah ...’ He then mentioned the hadith concerning the public bathhouses. Al-Ḥākim likewise recorded it in al-Mustadrak through this route. Al-Dūlābī said (1/201): ‘Abū Suwayyah heard Subayʿah al-Aslamiyyah.’ Ibn Ḥibbān said in al-Thiqāt (6/193): ‘Ḥumayd (1) ibn Suwayd, Abū Suwayd.’ He said: ‘Whoever says Abū Suwayyah has erred.’ Ibn Yūnus said: ‘He was a righteous man and used to expound the Quran’ ...”
Amīr Ibn Mākūlā said in al-Ikmāl (4/394):
“He was a distinguished man. Ḥaywah ibn Shurayḥ, ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥārith, and others narrated from him.”