Question 

Is the following Hadith authentic?

“When a woman is pregnant, she deserves the reward of a fasting person who is steadfast, humble and obedient and is fighting in the path of Allah. When she experiences labour pains, none knows how [huge] her reward is and when she gives birth, for every push she gets the reward of freeing a slave”

Answer

Imam Ibn ‘Adiy (rahimahullah) has recorded this Hadith on the authority of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu).

(Al Kamil, vol. 3, pg. 514)

However this Hadith has been transmitted with an extremely weak chain. Imam Ibn ‘Adiy (rahimahullah) has declared this Hadith extremely weak (munkar). Hafiz Ibn ‘Iraq (rahimahullah) states that he has no doubt that this Hadith is a fabrication. This Hadith should therefore not be quoted.

(Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 2, pg. 211. Also see Kitabul Majruhin Minal Muhaddithin of Imam Ibn Hibban, vol. 1, pg. 288 and Al Fawaidul Majmu’ah, pg. 114/115)

See a similar unreliable Hadith here.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar