Grading of the chain: This chain is "da'if" (weak) because of the 'an'anah of Abu al-Zubayr (Muhammad bin Muslim bin Tadrus al-Makki) and his being alone in narrating it (tafarrud). These two journeys of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are mentioned only in his hadith. Al-Rabi' bin Badr (although he is weak and matruk) has been corroborated by Hammad (Ibn Zayd), as occurs with the author (al-Hakim). Mu'alla bin Asad has narrations from Hammad bin Zayd, and Hammad bin Zayd has narrations from Abu al-Zubayr. He is not "Hammad bin Mas'adah" as Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) supposed in "al-Silsilah al-Da'ifah" (1483), because Hammad bin Mas'adah was too young to have met Abu al-Zubayr al-Makki, whereas Hammad bin Zayd was older than him. In any case, the real issue remains the 'an'anah of Abu al-Zubayr and his being alone in narrating it.

Takhrij / Corroboration: Al-Bayhaqi (6/118) narrated it from Abu 'Abd Allah al-Hakim with this chain. Al-Bayhaqi (6/118) also narrated it by way of Muhammad bin Fudayl, and Ibn Nasir al-Din in "Jami' al-Athar" (3/552-553) by way of 'Asim bin 'Ali; both of them narrate it from al-Rabi' bin Badr alone. The wording of Ibn Fudayl's hadith is "marfu'" from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "I hired myself out to Khadijah for two journeys for a young she-camel."

Geography / Language: Ibn al-Qayyim said in "Zad al-Ma'ad" (1/161): "If the hadith is authentic, then it is Jarash (with fathah on the jim and the ra'), and it is a town in al-Sham."