Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3492
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الشَّعْبِيَّ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ، أَوِ ابْنِ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ أَنَّ ثَلاَثَةَ، نَفَرٍ اشْتَرَكُوا فِي طُهْرٍ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ زَيْدَ بْنَ أَرْقَمَ وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ . قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ هَذَا صَوَابٌ وَاللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ .
Muhammad ibn Bashshar informed us; he said: Muhammad narrated to us; he said: Shu'bah narrated to us, from Salamah ibn Kuhayl, who said: I heard al-Sha'bi relate from Abu al-Khalil—or Ibn Abi al-Khalil—that three men had intercourse with the same woman during one period of purity. He related something similar, but did not mention Zayd ibn Arqam or trace the report back to the Prophet. Abu Abd al-Rahman said, ‘This is correct; Allah, Glorified and Exalted, knows best.’
Translation notes
The Arabic gives two alternatives for the transmitter’s name, Abu al-Khalil or Ibn Abi al-Khalil. It says the three men shared one period of purity; the English witness calls this a menstrual cycle.
نَفَرٍ اشْتَرَكُوا فِي طُهْرٍ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ زَيْدَ بْنَ أَرْقَمَ وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ .
The Arabic term طهر denotes a period of purity, while the English witness translates it as a menstrual cycle.
Should the English witness’s wording be retained for this timing phrase?