Nasai

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) drank water in front of everyone due to military strategy and to provide ease and convenience for the people, so that they would follow his example and everyone would practically come to know that it is permissible to break the fast while traveling. Despite this, some people did not follow and emulate him (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and acted contrary to his practice. Therefore, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) declared them disobedient—not merely because they fasted, for the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself had continued to fast up until then.

1:
It is the name of a valley between Makkah and Madinah.

2:
Because they imposed hardship upon themselves and refused to accept the concession that was granted to them regarding breaking the fast, and this will be applied to the person who is harmed by fasting during travel. As for the person who is not harmed by fasting during travel, then he will not be sinful for keeping the fast. This hadith is evidence that in the case of hardship during travel, not fasting is superior.

(1) "These people are disobedient." The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) perceived that today the fast was burdensome, and a burdensome fast is not permissible during travel; therefore, he broke his fast. Even though he himself did not experience hardship, he did so in order that no one else would have to endure hardship because of him. Based on this same reasoning, those people who did not experience much hardship should also have broken their fast, so that others would not feel hesitant to break their fast because of them. Just as it is necessary to consider one's own hardship, it is equally necessary to consider the hardship of others. On this basis, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) broke his fast. Those individuals who did not observe this principle, and did not break their fast despite the Prophet's open breaking of the fast, acted in disobedience.

(2) This hadith also shows that just as the Prophet's (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) command is obligatory to follow, likewise, any action of his which he performs so that people may follow his example is, in itself, obligatory to follow; otherwise, it will be considered disobedience.

(3) To try to be more pious and God-fearing than the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is a grave mistake.

Lexical Explanation 546:
Kharaja ‘aam al-fath: The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in the eighth year after Hijrah, set out towards Makkah Mukarramah on the 10th of Ramadan.

Kura‘ al-Ghameem: The “kaf” in Kura‘ has a dammah, and the “ra” is light (mukhaffaf), and in al-Ghameem, the “ghayn” has a fathah and the “meem” has a kasrah beneath it. It is the name of a valley ahead of ‘Usfan.

Da‘a bi-qadah: He requested a cup.

Fa-rafa‘ahu... etc.: He placed it on his hand and raised it so that the people could see, and thus know that he had broken his fast.

Ulaa’ika al-‘usaat: “‘Usaat” is the plural of “‘aasi,” meaning disobedient ones. They were called disobedient because they imposed hardship upon themselves and refused to accept the concession from Allah Ta‘ala regarding breaking the fast. ‘Allamah Yamani has said in Subul al-Salam that this hadith is evidence that a traveler has the choice between fasting and not fasting, and that if there is a need, the traveler may break the fast, even if most of the day has already passed in the state of fasting. Mawlana Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah says: In my view, this hadith is evidence that in the case of hardship during travel, breaking the fast is superior.

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that during travel, there is an option regarding fasting; if someone wishes to leave it, he may do so. On certain occasions, travel can be difficult and arduous. The leader of the journey, considering the nature of the journey, may also order all travelers to break their fast.