حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ شَبُّوَيْهِ حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ وَاقِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ يَزِيدَ النَّحْوِيِّ عَنْ عِکْرِمَةَ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا کُتِبَ عَلَيْکُمْ الصِّيَامُ کَمَا کُتِبَ عَلَی الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِکُمْ فَکَانَ النَّاسُ عَلَی عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا صَلَّوْا الْعَتَمَةَ حَرُمَ عَلَيْهِمْ الطَّعَامُ وَالشَّرَابُ وَالنِّسَائُ وَصَامُوا إِلَی الْقَابِلَةِ فَاخْتَانَ رَجُلٌ نَفْسَهُ فَجَامَعَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَقَدْ صَلَّی الْعِشَائَ وَلَمْ يُفْطِرْ فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ ذَلِکَ يُسْرًا لِمَنْ بَقِيَ وَرُخْصَةً وَمَنْفَعَةً فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّکُمْ کُنْتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنْفُسَکُمْ الْآيَةَ وَکَانَ هَذَا مِمَّا نَفَعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ النَّاسَ وَرَخَّصَ لَهُمْ وَيَسَّرَ
سنن ابودوٗد · Hadith 2313
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: Ibn Abbas explained the following Quranic verse: "O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you" During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, when the people offered night prayer, they were asked to abstain from food and drink and (intercourse with) women, they kept fast till the next night. A man betrayed himself and had intercourse with his wife after he had offered the night prayer, and he did not break his fast. So Allah, the Exalted, intended to make it (fasting) easy for those who survived, thus providing a concession and utility. Allah, the Glorified, said: "Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves. " By this Allah benefited the people and provided concession and ease to them.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020