I was in a study circle that included Abdul-Rahman bin Abu Layla, whose companions held him in great esteem. They mentioned to him the issue of a pregnant widow's waiting period, and he stated that her waiting period was the longer of the two terms. So I related the hadith of Subayah bint Harith, narrated from Abdullah bin Utbah.One of his companions winked at me. Muhammad said, I caught on to it and said, "I would indeed be bold if I were lying about Abdullah bin Utbah while he is right here in a part of Kufa."He felt embarrassed and said, "But his uncle did not say that."So I met Abu Atiya Malik bin Amir and asked him about it. He began to relate to me the hadith of Subayah, so I said, "Did you hear anything from Abdullah about this matter?"He said, We were with Abdullah when he said, "Do you impose upon her the stricter ruling and not grant her the concession? The shorter Surah of an-Nisa was revealed after the longer one, 'And those who are pregnant, their term is until they deliver their burden'" [Talaq 65:4].
وقال سليمان بن حرب وأبو النعمان حدثنا حماد بن زيد عن أيوب
كنت في حلقة فيها عبد الرحمن بن أبي ليلى وكان أصحابه يعظمونه فذكروا له فذكر آخر الأجلين فحدثت بحديث سبيعة بنت الحارث عن عبد الله بن عتبة قال فضمز لي بعض أصحابه قال محمد ففطنت له فقلت إني إذا لجريء إن كذبت على عبد الله بن عتبة وهو في ناحية الكوفة فاستحيا وقال لكن عمه لم يقل ذاك فلقيت أبا عطية مالك بن عامر فسألته فذهب يحدثني حديث سبيعة فقلت هل سمعت عن عبد الله فيها شيئا فقال كنا عند عبد الله فقال أتجعلون عليها التغليظ ولا تجعلون عليها الرخصة لنزلت سورة النساء القصرى بعد الطولى {وأولات الأحمال أجلهن أن يضعن حملهن}