Nasai

721. Commentary: Both of these chains of narration pertain to the same hadith, and both contain Hazrat A‘mash. It so happens that Imam Nasa’i rahimahullah’s teacher who narrated both chains is Ishaq bin Ibrahim. The difference in the chains lies between Ishaq and A‘mash. Both chains are authentic. However, the first chain is higher (a‘la) because there are two intermediaries between the author and A‘mash, whereas the second chain is lower (nazil) as there are three intermediaries between the author and A‘mash. «فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ» It is possible that by this is meant Imam Nasa’i rahimahullah’s shaykh, Ishaq, who narrated this hadith with his second chain (Nadr from Shu‘bah) in a manner very close in meaning to the first hadith, and it is also possible that what is meant is Imam Shu‘bah, who mentioned this hadith with the same meaning as the hadith of ‘Isa bin Yunus. And Allah knows best.