Nasai

If a pregnant or nursing woman experiences hardship or fears for her child, she is permitted to break the fast and, in its place, give expiation (kaffarah). Although there is a difference of opinion on this issue, this position is the preponderant one. This is the fatwa of both the noble Companions Ibn Abbas and Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhum), and the chain of narration is also authentic. See (Sunan al-Daraqutni: 2/207, with al-Mughni commentary; also see: Subul al-Salam with the commentary of al-Albani: 2/453). For a correct understanding of the narration, see hadiths: 2269, 2276.

(1) Imam al-Nasa’i rahimahullah has mentioned the aforementioned hadith of Anas under this very chapter, although it would have been more appropriate to establish a separate heading for it, just as he does when mentioning the differences in the chains of narration of ahadith reported from other Companions radi Allahu anhum. See: (Dhakheerat al-‘Uqba Sharh Sunan al-Nasa’i: 21/172, 173)

(2) If a pregnant or breastfeeding woman fears harm for her child, she may leave the fast and make it up later, or, as some have said, she may give fidyah (compensatory feeding of the poor), and that is sufficient. Some say that neither making up the fast nor fidyah is required, as if there is in reality an exemption. However, according to the majority of the scholars, the correct view is the first one: that she must make up the fast later.

(1) This refers to Anas ibn Malik al-Qushayri. The well-known Anas ibn Malik, the servant of the Messenger, is someone else... radi Allahu anhu...

(2) "Had been seized." The army of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had seized these camels. They thought that these belonged to the disbelievers, whereas these camels actually belonged to the Companion of the Messenger, Anas ibn Malik al-Qushayri radi Allahu anhu. So Anas radi Allahu anhu had come into the presence of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to claim his camels.

English Commentary:
1:
This is not the Anas ibn Malik who was the servant of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam),
rather, this is another Anas, known as al-Ka‘bi.

2:
What is meant is from among the prayers that consist of four units (rak‘ah).

3:
And this is also what the author of Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi has considered to be the stronger opinion, and he has said that, in my view, the apparent meaning is that both of these are in the same ruling as a sick person; therefore, only making up (qada) the prayer will be obligatory upon them.
And Allah knows best.

Benefits and Issues:
The concession for the traveler, the nursing woman, and the pregnant woman has been mentioned in the same context, but there is a difference in detail: for the traveler, fasting is excused, but making up (qada) is obligatory.
As for the nursing woman (murdhi‘ah) and the pregnant woman, there are four opinions among the scholars, the brief details of which have been mentioned in the benefits of Hadith number: 2318.
However, these women are required to perform the full prayer during their days of residence.
In the case of a legal excuse (such as menstruation and postnatal bleeding), prayer is completely excused and there is no making up (qada) for it.

Benefits and Issues:

➊ At the time when this incident occurred, Anas bin Malik radi Allahu anhu and Ka‘b radi Allahu anhu had already embraced Islam, whereas their tribe had not yet become Muslim.

➋ The meaning of the concession of half the prayer for the traveler is that in those prayers where four units (rak‘ahs) are obligatory, only two units of obligatory prayer should be performed. The Fajr and Maghrib prayers are performed in full even during travel.

➌ If a fasting person is invited to eat, he may express that he is fasting. This is not considered showing off (riya).

➍ The concession for the traveler, the nursing woman (murdi‘ah), and the pregnant woman (hamilah) is mentioned in the same context, but there is a difference in detail: for the traveler, fasting is excused, but making up (qada) is obligatory. Regarding the nursing and pregnant women, there are four scholarly opinions, detailed as follows:

- One opinion is that for them, paying the expiation (fidya) alone is sufficient, and there is no need to make up the fast later.
- The second opinion is that neither making up the fast nor paying fidya is required; this is the view of Hafiz Ibn Hazm rahimahullah, which he has stated in Al-Muhalla (issue no. 770).
- The third opinion is that, in addition to fidya (feeding the poor), they must also make up the fast later.
- The fourth opinion is that they are under the same ruling as the sick person: they may leave the fast, are not required to pay fidya, but must make up the fast later. Mawlana Muhammad Ali Janbaz rahimahullah has given preference to this opinion. See: (Injaz al-Hajah, Sharh Ibn Majah: 5/566). This is also the view of the Saudi scholars. See: (Fatawa Islamiyyah (Urdu) 2/203, published by Darussalam).