Grading: Its chain is weak because Abu al-Hasan al-'Asqalani and the narrators above him are majhul (unknown). Al-Bukhari said in "al-Tarikh al-Kabir" (1/ 82): "Its chain is unknown; the hearing of some of them from others is not known." Al-Tirmidhi said in "al-Jami'" (1784): "The hadith is gharib and its chain is not sound." Ibn Hibban said in "al-Thiqat" (5/ 360): "I do not rely on its chain." We say: There is disagreement over its chain; sometimes it is narrated from Abu al-Hasan al-'Asqalani (as in the narration of the author (al-Hakim)), sometimes from Abu al-Hasan, from Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Rukanah, from his father, that Rukanah wrestled with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)..., and sometimes from Abu al-Hasan, from Abu Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Rukanah, from his father, that Rukanah wrestled with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)... Allah knows best which of these is more correct. See Ibn Hajar's "al-Isabah" (6/ 336). Abu Dawud (4078) and al-Tirmidhi (1784) narrated it from Qutaybah bin Sa'id, from Muhammad bin Rabi'ah, from Abu al-Hasan al-'Asqalani, from Abu Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Rukanah, from his father, that Rukanah wrestled with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)... Rukanah said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)...

Important point: The story of Rukanah's wrestling with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was narrated from the "mursal" of Sa'id bin Jubayr by Abu Dawud in "al-Marasil" (308) - and by way of him al-Bayhaqi (10/ 18) - with a "sahih chain" up to Sa'id bin Jubayr, as al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said in "al-Talkhis al-Habir" (4/ 162). He said: Except that Sa'id did not meet Rukanah. Al-Bayhaqi (10/ 18) said about this report of Sa'id bin Jubayr that it is a "good mursal" (mursal jayyid).