A muttaṣil chain has established continuity at every transmission link. A marfūʿ report is attributed to the Prophet. In a familiar definition, musnad combines an apparently connected chain with Prophetic attribution, although usage among hadith scholars can vary.
Case 1: A fully connected chain ends at a Companion’s own statement: connected mawqūf, not a Prophetic musnad report.
Case 2: A Successor directly quotes the Prophet without naming an intermediary: marfūʿ in attribution, mursal and unconnected in transmission.
Case 3: A connected route reaches a Companion who expressly attributes the report to the Prophet: musnad in the common sense.
Outward continuity does not guarantee every transmitter’s accuracy; identifying a musnad chain and judging overall authenticity remain separate assessments.