Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw a man around whom people had gathered and shade was being provided for him. (The Prophet peace be upon him asked, "What has happened to him?") They replied that this man is fasting. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "It is not righteousness that you fast while traveling (with such hardship)." Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that this hadith is evidence that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said this when the fasting traveler did not accept the ease and concession granted by Allah Almighty, to the extent that fasting became extremely difficult for him and he became in need of shade.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man fainted, so water was sprinkled on him. (The Imam says:) The statement of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that "Fasting during travel is not righteousness" means that fasting during travel with such hardship that the fasting person faints, and shade has to be provided for him and water has to be sprinkled on him, this is not righteousness, because Allah Almighty has given the traveler the concession to leave the fast during travel and make it up after Ramadan. And Allah Almighty has said in His Book, the "Noble Qur'an," that He wants ease for His servants, He does not want to impose hardship and difficulty upon them. Therefore, for the person who does not accept Allah's ease, it is correct to say that your choosing hardship, in a situation where hardship becomes extremely difficult for you, is not righteousness. Similarly, it is also correct to interpret this narration to mean that your fasting during travel is not righteousness, i.e., it is not complete righteousness, rather sometimes your fasting during travel will be righteousness and sometimes accepting Allah's concession and not fasting during travel will be righteousness. I will soon present the evidence for this interpretation, inshaAllah.