Grading of the chain: The chain is "hasan" because of Ibrahim bin Sulayman al-Katib (he is described here as "al-Katib"; he is al-Zayyat al-Balkhi). Al-Dhahabi, objecting to the author (al-Hakim) in his "Talkhis", said: "It is not authentic, and Ibrahim bin Sulayman has been criticised." We say: there is disagreement about him, and the preponderant view is that he is "saduq hasan al-hadith" unless he brings something munkar. See his biography in "Lisan al-Mizan" (1/ 292) and elsewhere.

Readings: The phrase "with sad" refers to the word (al-sirat). This is the reading of the seven readers except Ibn Kathir al-Makki: some of his companions narrated from him that he read it with "sin" (al-sirat), and some narrated that he read it with "sad" like the others. Ibn Mujahid transmitted in "al-Sab'ah" (p. 107) from al-Kisa'i that he said: "In the speech of the Arabs, sin in (al-sirat) is more widespread, but I read with sad to follow the written text, since the written text has sad."