Note / Clarification: This word has dropped out of (is missing from) our manuscripts, while in "Ithaf al-Maharah" (20759) it is present correctly.

Grading: Its chain is extremely weak (da'if jiddan).
Technical note / Defect ('illah): It contains 'Ubayd Allah bin Abi Humayd, a "matruk" (abandoned) narrator. Also, there is doubt (nazar) about Abu al-Malih (who is Ibn Usamah al-Hudhali) having heard from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). At this point the text of the hadith has suffered a damaging abridgement (a shortening that distorts the meaning), whereas in the narration of al-Hinna'i it is present in full detail, as will come below. Regarding the narrator al-'Ala' bin 'Amr al-Hanafi, Salih Jazarah said there is no harm in him; Ibn Abi Hatim said that his father and Abu Zur'ah narrated from him, and transmitted from his father: "We saw nothing but good in him"; however, Ibn Hibban and Abu al-Fath al-Azdi accused him, and Abu al-'Arab transmitted al-Nasa'i's declaring him weak. Nevertheless, there is corroboration (mutaba'ah) for him.

Details of the narration: Al-Hinna'i recorded it in his "Fawa'id" (193) through the route of Mu'ammal bin Isma'il from 'Ubayd Allah bin Abi Humayd, with this same chain. Its wording is: "I saw my Lord in my dream in the best form. The Lord said: O Muhammad! I said: Here I am, my Lord, at Your service. He said: Do you know what the highest assembly (of angels, al-mala' al-a'la) is disputing about? I said: No, O my Lord. So Allah placed His hand between my shoulders until I felt its coolness in my chest, and I came to know that about which I had been asked. I said: Yes, O Lord! They are disputing about the degrees and the expiations. Allah said: What are the degrees and the expiations? I said: The expiations (deeds that wipe out sins) are performing wudu' thoroughly in severe cold, walking on foot to the Friday prayer, and waiting for one prayer after another. And the degrees (deeds that raise one's rank) are feeding people, spreading the greeting of peace, and praying at night (tahajjud) while people are asleep".

Technical note / Defect ('illah): Al-Hinna'i said after it that this hadith is "gharib" from the narration of 'Ubayd Allah bin Abi Humayd al-Basri; then he mentioned the disagreement over his name and said that Abu al-Malih did not hear from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) but heard from Abu Salih, and that we know it through this route only from the narration of Mu'ammal bin Isma'il from 'Ubayd Allah. Also, 'Ubayd Allah bin Abi Humayd is "munkar al-hadith".
Note / Clarification: This hadith is actually known from the narration of 'Abd al-Rahman bin al-Lajlaj, who transmits from 'Abd al-Rahman bin 'A'ish al-Hadrami, and this 'Abd al-Rahman (bin 'A'ish) is not known to have been a Companion.

Reference / Source: We say: the hadith of 'Abd al-Rahman bin 'A'ish was recorded by Imam Ahmad in his "Musnad" 27/(16621) via one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). For our research on it, see there.

Note / Clarification: See also the narration that comes after it.