Grading: This hadith can possibly be rated 'hasan'; although Abd al-Rahman bin Muhammad bin Mansur has been criticised, he has been corroborated.

Technical note / Defect ('illah): There is a great deal of variation in the chain of this hadith, which we have discussed in detail in our edition of "Musnad Ahmad" (12/7145).

Reference / Source: Imam al-Nasa'i (5893) and Waki' in "Akhbar al-Qudat" (1/9), with reference to al-Bayhaqi (10/96), narrated it through several routes from Ibn Abi Dhi'b (Muhammad bin Abd al-Rahman bin al-Mughirah bin al-Harith bin Abi Dhi'b) with this same chain.

Reference / Source: Imam Ahmad (14/8777), Ibn Majah (2308), Abu Dawud (3572) and al-Nasa'i (5895) narrated it via Abd Allah bin Ja'far from Uthman bin Muhammad al-Akhnasi.
Details of the narration: All these hadith scholars mentioned "al-A'raj" (Abd al-Rahman bin Hurmuz) together with Sa'id al-Maqburi (in their chains), except Ibn Majah (who mentioned only al-Maqburi).

Reference / Source: Abu Dawud (3571) and al-Tirmidhi (1325) narrated it via Amr bin Abi Amr (the freed slave of al-Muttalib), and al-Nasa'i (5892) via Dawud bin Khalid; both of them narrate from Sa'id al-Maqburi.
Grading: Imam al-Tirmidhi says that through this chain the hadith is "hasan gharib".

Reference / Source: Imam Ahmad (12/7145) and al-Nasa'i (5894) narrated it via Abd Allah bin Sa'id bin Abi Hind from Muhammad bin Uthman al-Akhnasi, from Sa'id al-Maqburi.
Technical note / Defect ('illah): In the narration of Musnad Ahmad the name "al-Akhnasi" has dropped out, while in al-Nasa'i's narration the name has been changed into "Muhammad bin Uthman", and Imam al-Nasa'i himself drew attention to this.