“Its isnad is hasan”—in fact, it is not hasan. Although he cited Ibn Hazm’s criticism and quoted al-Khattabi as saying, “There is discussion about its isnad,” he offered no reply to either of them. Al-Sindi remarks: “There is no indication in the report that anyone passed between the worshiper and his sutrah, nor that the dog was black. Likewise, the later ahadith give no conclusive proof that passing does not cut off the prayer; these reports do not, in any way, conflict with the hadith that states the prayer is cut.” I say: The first part of his statement—taking the version narrated by al-Nasa’i—is correct; but with Abu Dawud’s additional clause, “there was no sutrah in front of him,” it is incorrect. The decisive answer is that the hadith is weak and therefore cannot be used as evidence. That suffices. By his phrase “the later ahadith” he was referring to the report transmitted by al-Nasa’i and others from Ibn Abbas: that he and a youth from Banu Hashim rode past the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a donkey while he was praying; they dismounted, joined him, prayed, and he did not end his prayer. Its isnad is sahih, but—as al-Sindi correctly noted—it provides no evidence, because it does not state that their passing occurred between the Prophet ﷺ and his sutrah. As for the hadith of Aisha mentioned earlier in Ahmad’s words, Ahmad himself answered it, and we too have just given a detailed response. Whoever seeks further detail should consult Fath al-Bari (1/467–468) and Sharh al-Taqrib (2/393, 396). Among the proofs adduced by those who claim that a woman does not cut off the prayer is the hadith of Umm Salama, who said: