Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim 1476 b
Giving one's wife the choice does not count as a divorce, unless it is intended as such
Arabic hadith text
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عِيسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَاصِمٌ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . نَحْوَهُ
Translation
The above hadith has likewise been narrated through another chain.
The Book of Divorce - Sahih Muslim 1476b
This hadith concerning divorce has been transmitted through an alternative chain of narrators (isnad), confirming its authenticity and reliability according to the principles of hadith verification.
Scholarly Commentary
The transmission through multiple chains (turuq) strengthens the hadith's authenticity, as established by classical scholars of hadith science. This multiplicity of transmission routes indicates the care with which the Companions preserved and transmitted the Prophet's teachings.
Imam Muslim's inclusion of this alternative chain demonstrates his meticulous methodology in compiling only the most rigorously authenticated traditions, providing additional verification for the legal and spiritual guidance contained within the original narration.