Note / Clarification: (2) In manuscripts (Z) and (B) this name has been corrupted into "'Ali".

Note / Clarification: (3) In the manuscripts "bin" is written (i.e. Zayd bin Harithah), which turned this report into one from the Musnad of Usamah bin Zayd bin Harithah rather than of his father, and this is an error. We have corrected it from al-Tabarani's "al-Awa'il" (18), where he narrated this report from Yahya bin 'Uthman bin Salih (who is the teacher of the teacher of the author (al-Hakim)), and it is likewise in the other sources.

Technical note / Text: (1) In the author's version of the hadith the pronoun refers back to Zayd bin Harithah, which gives the sense that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Zayd and showed him how to perform wudu'; that is why the author mentioned it among the virtues of Zayd bin Harithah. However, in the versions of all who recorded it, the hadith mentions Jibril, that it was he who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and showed him how to perform wudu'. In al-Tabarani's "al-Awa'il" (18) from Yahya bin 'Uthman bin Salih with this same chain, Jibril is likewise mentioned.
Important point: What appears is that the mention of Jibril has dropped out of the author's original manuscripts.

Grading: (2) Its chain is "weak" because of the weakness of 'Abd Allah bin Lahi'ah and his poor memory, and also because of "idtirab" (inconsistency) in the chain and text of this hadith, as explained in the commentary on "Musnad Ahmad" (17480). Abu Hatim al-Razi held [as his son reported from him in "al-'Ilal" (10)] that this hadith is false and a lie.

Reference / Source: Ahmad narrated it in the Musnad 29/ (17480) from al-Hasan bin Musa al-Ashyab, and Ibn Majah (462) via Hassan bin 'Abd Allah, both of them from Ibn Lahi'ah, with this same chain. In it, it is Jibril who taught the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) this. Neither of them mentioned in their narration "and he taught him Islam", and Ibn Majah did not mention the prayer either; however, they added the mention of sprinkling water on the private part after wudu'.

Reference / Source: Ahmad narrated it in the Musnad 36/ (21771) via Rishdin bin Sa'd > 'Uqayl bin Khalid > Ibn Shihab > 'Urwah bin al-Zubayr > Usamah bin Zayd > the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "When Jibril came down to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he taught him wudu'; then he sprinkled water towards the private part."
Grading: Rishdin bin Sa'd is weak, and his condition is even worse than that of Ibn Lahi'ah; some abandoned his hadith.