Umm Hani’ said that on the day of the conquest of Mecca Fatima came and sat on God’s messenger’s left and 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 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.”
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you is invited to a meal at a time when he is fasting he should say he is fasting.” In a version he said, “When one of you receives an invitation he should accept it. If he is fasting he should pray, but if not, he should eat.”
Narrated Zuhri reported on ‘Urwa’s authority that ‘A'isha said:
When Hafsa and I were fasting we were offered food which we liked very much and ate some of it. Hafsa told God’s messenger of this, and he said, “Make up for it by fasting on another day.”
Tirmidhi transmitted it, but he mentioned a number of huffaz* who transmitted on the authority of Zuhri on the authority of ‘A'isha in mursal form, omitting to mention ‘Urwa’s authority, and this is sounder. Abu Dawud transmitted it from Zumail the client of ‘Urwa from ‘Urwa from ‘A'isha.
*Traditionists who have a reputation for their accurate memory.
Anas said that the Prophet visited Umm Sulaim, and when she brought him some dates and clarified butter he said, “Put your butter back in its container and your dates in their vessel, for I am fasting.” He then went to a separate part of the house and prayed a prayer which was not one of the prescribed prayers, and invoked a blessing on Umm Sulaim and the inhabitants of her house.
