English translation
710. Jābir bin 'Abdullāh narrated: "The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ went to Makkah in the Year of the Conquest, so he fasted until he reached Kurā' Al-Ghamīm[1] and the people were fasting with him. Then it was said to him: 'The fast has become difficult for the people, and they are watching you to see what you will do.' So after ‘Aṣr, he called for a cup of water and drank it while the people were looking at him. Some of them broke the fast while some of them continued their fasting. It was conveyed to him that people were still fasting, so he said: ‘Those are the disobedient.’” (Sahīh) (He said:) There are narrations on this topic from Ka’b bin ‘Aṣim, Ibn ‘Abbās, and Abū Hurairah. Abū ‘Eisā said: The Hadīth of Jābir is a Ḥasan Sahīh Hadīth. It has been reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “It is not from righteousness to fast while traveling.” The people of knowledge disagree over fasting while traveling. Some of the people of knowledge, among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and others, held the view that breaking the fast is more virtuous. Some of them even thought that one has to repeat it if he fasted while traveling. Aḥmad and Iṣhāq preferred breaking the fast when traveling. Some of the people of knowledge, among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and others, said that if one has the strength and he fasts then that is good, and this is more virtuous, and if he breaks the fast then that is good. And this is the view of Sufyān Ath-Thawrī, Mālik bin Anas, and ‘Abdullāh bin Al-Mubārak. Ash-Shāfi‘ī said: “The meaning of the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: ‘It is not from righteousness to fast while traveling’ and his saying – when it was conveyed to him that people were fasting: ‘Those are the disobedient.' This refers to the case when the person's heart does not accept the permission that Allāh the Most High granted, as for the one who thought that breaking the fast is allowed, and he fasted while he had the strength for that, then this is more preferable to me."