Nasai

(1) "You are being harsh"—that is, if a woman is required to complete the longer waiting period (‘iddah), this is undue hardship upon her: that if the child is born first, she must still complete four months and ten days, and if four months and ten days are completed first, she must wait for the child to be born. Thus, Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu did not approve of this opinion; rather, he considered the end of pregnancy (delivery of the child) to be the waiting period (‘iddah) for a pregnant woman.

(2) "The small chapter of Women"—that is, the shorter surah in which the rulings concerning women are mentioned. By this is meant Surah at-Talaq, in which is the verse: ﴿وَأُولاتُ الأحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ﴾ (at-Talaq: 65:4) "The waiting period (‘iddah) of pregnant women is until they deliver their burden (give birth)."

(3) By "the large chapter of Women" is meant the longer surah in which the rulings concerning women are mentioned, that is, Surah al-Baqarah, in which it is mentioned that a woman whose husband passes away must wait for four months and ten days.

(4) The intent of Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu is that the ruling concerning pregnant women was mentioned later; therefore, they are excepted from the ruling of four months and ten days, and this is the correct opinion.

(5) In order to convey the truth, the people of knowledge may sit together and discuss a particular issue.