Aishah said “Barirah’s husband was a free man when she was emancipated. She was given choice. She said “I do not like to remain with him. I have such and such (grievances)”
Hadith Referenceسنن ابي داود / كتاب تفريع أبواب الطلاق / 2235
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:صحيح خ وأشار إلى أن قوله كان حرا مدرج من قول الأسود | زبیر علی زئی:ضعيف, إسناده ضعيف, ترمذي (1155) ابن ماجه (2074), إبراهيم النخعي عنعن وھو مدلس (طبقات المدلسين : 2/35وھو عندنا من الثالثة) ولو ثبت عن الأسود لكان معللاً لمخالفة جمع من الرواة والعدد الكثير أولي بالحفظ (عند التعارض) من الواحد, انوار الصحيفه، صفحه نمبر 84
1؎: The correct view is that at that time he was a slave, as has been mentioned in several authentic narrations above.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues: According to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah, the statement "(Kan Hira) he was free" is the speech of Aswad bin Yazid, and according to Imam Bukhari, it is mursal (disconnected), whereas the narration of Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu that her husband was a slave is more authentic. See (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Divorce, Hadith: 5282)
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 2235