In sum, the hadith, with these corroborating chains, is sound. And Allah knows best.

486 — “Among the Children of Israel there was a short woman. She made herself two wooden stilts and would walk between two short women. She made a gold ring and filled beneath its stone with the finest perfume—musk. Whenever she passed by a gathering, she would move it, and its fragrance would waft forth.”

In another version: “She fitted it with a clasp, and whenever she passed by an assembly or a gathering, she would shake it, whereupon it would open and its fragrance would diffuse.”

Ahmad recorded it in al-Musnad (3/40): ‘Uthman ibn ‘Amr narrated to us; al-Mustamir ibn al-Rayyan narrated to us; Abu Nadrah narrated to us from Abu Sa‘id that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it. Then he cited the hadith.

He then recorded it (3/46): ‘Abd al-Samad narrated to us; al-Mustamir ibn al-Rayyan narrated to us through the same chain, adding at its beginning:

“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned this world and said: ‘Indeed, this world is verdant and sweet, so beware of it and beware of women.’ Then he mentioned three women among the Children of Israel: two tall women who were known, and a short woman who was not known. She made herself two wooden stilts …”

The hadith then continues much like the previous version, and includes the other wording.

I say: This is an authentic chain according to Muslim’s criteria. Muslim also recorded it in his Sahih (7/48) through Shu‘bah, from Khulayb ibn Ja‘far and al-Mustamir, who both said: “We heard Abu Nadrah,” in an abridged form. Through the same route, he also recorded it from Khulayb alone, with wording similar to the narration of ‘Abd al-Samad, but without the addition at its beginning.

The word rendered “wafted forth” appears thus in the original, spelled with khā’; that is, its fragrance diffused, as in the other version.