Subject Matter of the Narrative:
According to Abu Dawood’s narrative no. 1833 it is reported:
حدثنا احمد بن حنبل، حدثنا هشيم، اخبرنا يزيد بن ابي زياد، عن مجاهد، عن عايشة، قالت كان الركبان يمرون بنا ونحن مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم محرمات فاذا حاذوا بنا سدلت احدانا جلبابها من راسها الى وجهها فاذا جاوزونا كشفناه.
It is narrated that Ayesha (ra) said: Riders would pass by us while we [i.e., the wives of the Prophet (pbuh)] were with the Prophet (pbuh), in the state of Ihraam. So, when they would reach near us, we would drop our covering cloths from our heads to our faces and when they would pass us by, then we would remove it [from our faces].
Similar incident has also been reported in Ahmad ibn Hanbal (narrative no. 24067), Bayhaqiy (narrative no. 8833), Ibn Khuzaymah (narrative no. 2691), Ibn Maajah (narrative no. 2935) and Ibn Abi Shaybah (narrative no. 14240).
Comment on the Narrative
All the stated narrations of the incident come through one person – Yazid ibn Abi Ziyaad يزيد بن ابي زياد – about whose reliability there is a mixed opinion among the experts. Nevertheless, it is generally agreed that due to his presence and due to the fact that the incident has only been reported by a chain, which includes him, this narrative should not be considered as acceptable1
Conclusion
In view of the fact that the narration has not been reported by a chain that can safely be termed as reliable, we do not consider it prudent to accept the incident as correctly reported.
This write-up is prepared by the Hadith Cell of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi
- Information on Yazid ibn Abi Ziyaad can be seen at: Taqreeb al-Tehzeeb, Vol. 1, Pg. 601, Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb, Vol. 11, Pg. 287 – 288, and Tehzeeb al-Kamaal, Vol. 32, Pg. 135 – 140. [↩]