English Translation

Hadrat Umm Hani’ said that on the day of the conquest of Mecca Hadrat Fatima came and sat on God’s messenger’s left and Hadrat Umm Hani on his right, and when the maidservant brought a vessel containing; drinking water and handed it to him, he drank some of it and handed it to Hadrat Umm Hani’ who drank some of it. She then said, “Messenger of God, I was fasting and I have broken my fast.” He asked if she was making up for anything, and when she replied that she was not, he said, “It will not harm you if it was a voluntary fast.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad and Tirmidhi has something similar. In it she said, “Messenger of God, I was fasting,” and he replied, “The one who observes a voluntary fast is his own master; if he wishes he may fast, and if he wishes he may break it.”