Grading: (1) Its narrators are "la ba'sa bihim", as was explained under number (4378), and it is "mursal". Abu 'Ulathah (in the chain) is Muhammad bin 'Amr bin Khalid al-Harrani (later al-Misri), Ibn Lahi'ah is 'Abdullah, and Abu al-Aswad is Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Rahman (the orphan of 'Urwah).

Reference / Source: Al-Tabari recorded it in "al-Tarikh": 2/ 316 through the route of 'Abd al-Malik bin Maslamah, and Ibn 'Asakir in "Tarikh Dimashq": 19/ 353-354 through the route of Sa'id bin Abi Maryam; both from Ibn Lahi'ah, with this same chain.

Corroborating chains and supporting reports: Something like it is narrated from al-Zuhri in 'Abd al-Razzaq ["al-Musannaf": (9719)], Ibn Sa'd ["al-Tabaqat": 3/ 42], Ahmad ["al-'Ilal": (5817)], al-Baladhuri ["Ansab al-Ashraf": 1/ 112, 470, 471], al-Tabari ["al-Tarikh": 2/ 316] and Ibn 'Asakir [19/ 353 and 354].

Corroborating chains and supporting reports: And something like it is narrated from Sulayman bin Yasar in Ibn Sa'd [3/ 42], al-Baladhuri [1/ 112], al-Tabari [2/ 316] and Ibn 'Asakir [19/ 353].
Grading: But there is weakness in its chain.

General principle: There are also narrations contrary to this, as has passed under number (4702), that 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first to accept Islam, while some mention Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). We mentioned there how they are reconciled. This is a third view: that Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first to accept Islam. Al-Tha'labi said in his "Tafsir": 5/ 85: Ishaq bin Ibrahim al-Hanzali used to reconcile these narrations by saying: the first to accept Islam among men was Abu Bakr, among women Khadijah, among boys 'Ali, and among freed slaves Zayd bin Harithah.