570 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “It is not lawful for a woman to fast while her husband is present unless he permits her.” Agreed upon, with the wording cited from al-Bukhari. Abu Dawud adds: “other than Ramadan.” (1)

Degree of the hadith:
Al-Nawawi states in al-Majmuʿ that the additional phrase recorded by Abu Dawud has a chain that meets the conditions of the two Shaykhs.

Vocabulary:
• shāhid (present): meaning that the husband is with her and not away. Allah, Exalted is He, says, “So whoever of you witnesses the month must fast it” (Qur’an 2:185), i.e., whoever is resident and not travelling.
• bi-idhnihī (with his permission): from adhina / ya’dhanu, meaning to allow or approve; hence the husband’s permission to his wife.

Lessons derived from the hadith:

1. A husband’s rights over his wife are weighty: she is obliged to obey him in what is proper, fulfil his legitimate requests, and accommodate his reasonable desires.
2. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “Once a woman marries, her husband has greater authority over her than her father, and obeying her husband becomes more incumbent.” He cited the hadith related by al-Tirmidhi (1079) in which the Prophet ﷺ said, “Had I been going to command anyone to prostrate to another, I would have commanded a woman to prostrate to her husband.”
3. Hence it is impermissible for her to undertake a voluntary fast when her husband is present unless he consents. If he is absent, she may fast and has no need of his permission, for—