English narration
Narrated by عبد الله بن عمرو السهمي
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was informed that I have said "By Allah, I will fast all the days and pray all the nights as long as I live." On that, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked me. "Are you the one who says 'I will fast all the days and pray all the nights as long as I live?' " I said, "Yes, I have said it." He said, "You cannot do that. So fast (sometimes) and do not fast (sometimes). Pray and sleep. Fast for three days a month, for the reward of a good deed is multiplied by ten time, and so the fasting of three days a month equals the fasting of a year." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I can do (fast) more than this." He said, "Fast on every third day. I said I can do (fast) more than that, He said "Fast on alternate days and this was the fasting of David which is the most moderate sort of fasting." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I can do (fast) more than that." He said, "There is nothing better than that."
النص العربي
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ ، عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ ، أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيِّبِ ، أَخْبَرَهُ وَأَبَا سَلَمَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا ، قَالَ : أُخْبِرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنِّي أَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ لَأَصُومَنَّ النَّهَارَ وَلَأَقُومَنَّ اللَّيْلَ مَا عِشْتُ ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : "
أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ لَأَصُومَنَّ النَّهَارَ وَلَأَقُومَنَّ اللَّيْلَ مَا عِشْتُ ، قُلْت : قَدْ قُلْتُهُ ، قَالَ : إِنَّكَ لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ ذَلِكَ فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَقُمْ وَنَمْ وَصُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَإِنَّ الْحَسَنَةَ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا وَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ صِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ ، فَقُلْت : إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : فَصُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمَيْنِ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ، قَالَ : فَصُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا وَذَلِكَ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ وَهُوَ أَعْدَلُ الصِّيَامِ ، قُلْتُ : إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : لَا أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ
" .