Once Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, "I have been informed that you offer Salat (prayer) all the night and observe Saum (fast) during the day." I said, "(Yes) I do so." He said, "If you do so, your eye sight will become weak and you will become weak. No doubt, your body has right on you, and your family has right on you, so observe Saum (for some days) and do not observe it (for some days), offer Salat (for sometime) and then sleep."

لِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتْ عَيْنُكَ وَنَفِهَتْ نَفْسُكَ وَإِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ حَقٌّ وَلأَهْلِكَ حَقٌّ فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَقُمْ وَنَمْ

The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "You fast daily all the year and pray every night all the night?" I replied in the affirmative. The Prophet ﷺ said, "If you keep on doing this, your eyes will become weak and your body will get tired. He who fasts all the year is as he who did not fast at all. The fasting of three days (a month) will be equal to the fasting of the whole year." I replied, "I have the power for more than this." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Then fast like the fasting of David who used to fast on alternate days and would never flee from the battle field, on meeting the enemy."

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ الْمَكِّيَّ وَكَانَ شَاعِرًا وَكَانَ لاَ يُتَّهَمُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ ؓ قَالَ قَالَ لِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّكَ لَتَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ إِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتْ لَهُ الْعَيْنُ وَنَفِهَتْ لَهُ النَّفْسُ لاَ صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الدَّهْرَ صَوْمُ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَصُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَلاَ يَفِرُّ إِذَا لاَقَى

The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "I have been informed that you pray all the nights and observe fast all the days; is this true?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "If you do so, your eyes will become weak and you will get bored. So fast three days a month, for this will be the fasting of a whole year, or equal to the fasting of a whole year." I said, "I find myself able to fast more." He said, "Then fast like the fasting of (the Prophet) David who used to fast on alternate days and would not flee on facing the enemy."

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَلَمْ أُنَبَّأْ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتِ الْعَيْنُ وَنَفِهَتِ النَّفْسُ صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَذَلِكَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ أَوْ كَصَوْمِ الدَّهْرِ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَجِدُ بِي قَالَ مِسْعَرٌ يَعْنِي قُوَّةً قَالَ فَصُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَكَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَلاَ يَفِرُّ إِذَا لاَقَى

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: I have been informed that you stand for prayer the whole of night and fast during the day. I said: I do that, whereupon he said: If you did that you in fact strained heavily your eyes and made yourself weak. There is a right of your eyes (upon you) and a right of your self (upon you) and a right of your family (upon you). Stand for prayer and sleep. observe fasts and break (them).

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتْ عَيْنَاكَ وَنَفِهَتْ نَفْسُكَ لِعَيْنِكَ حَقٌّ وَلِنَفْسِكَ حَقٌّ وَلأَهْلِكَ حَقٌّ قُمْ وَنَمْ وَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ

Then observe the fast of David (peace be upon him). Observe fast one day and break it (on the other) day. And he ('Abdullah b. 'Amr) used to say: Would that I had availed myself of this concession.

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا وَلِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا صُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَذَلِكَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ بِي قُوَّةً قَالَ فَصُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا فَكَانَ يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي أَخَذْتُ بِالرُّخْصَةِ

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'O 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, you fast all the time and you do stand (in prayer) at night, but if you do that your eyes will become sunken and you will become exhausted. There is no fast for one who fasts every day of his life. Fasting a lifetime means fasting three days each month,

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو إِنَّكَ تَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتِ الْعَيْنُ وَنَفِهَتْ لَهُ النَّفْسُ لاَ صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الأَبَدَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ ثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَلاَ يَفِرُّ إِذَا لاَقَى

[AI] "To me, the Messenger of Allahﷺ said, 'O Abdullah bin Amr, it has reached me that you fast during the day and spend the night in prayer. Do not do so, for your body has rights over you, your wife has rights over you, and your eyes have rights over you. Fast and break your fast from every month for three days; that is the fast of a lifetime.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I have the ability to do more.' He said, 'Fast the fast of Dawood: fast one day and break your fast the following day.' Abdullah used to say, 'I wish I had taken the concession.'"

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ فَلَا تَفْعَلَنَّ فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا وَإِنَّ لِعَيْنَيْكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا أَفْطِرْ وَصُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَذَلِكَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً؟ قَالَ صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا قَالَ فَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللهِ يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ أَخَذْتُ بِالرُّخْصَةِ

[AI] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "O Abdullah ibn Amr, I have been informed that you fast during the day and pray during the night. Do not do so. Your body has rights over you, and your soul has rights over you. Fast and break your fast, and fast for three days every month as a perpetual fast." Abdullah replied, "O Messenger of Allah, I find myself strong enough to do so." The Prophet said, "Observe the fast of Prophet David, fast one day and break your fast the next day." Abdullah ibn Amr used to say, "I wish that I had taken the concession."

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا صُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ» قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً قَالَ «صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا» قَالَ وَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ أَخَذْتُ الرُّخْصَةَ

قَالَ قَالَ لِيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ ؟ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتِ الْعَيْنَانِ وَنَفِهَتِ النَّفْسُ صُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَقُمْ وَنَمْ صُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلَاثًا فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ إِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِأَهْلِكَ حَقًّا قُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً قَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ لَا بُدَّ فَاعِلًا فَصُمْ صَوْمَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ يَعْنِي دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَلَا يَفِرُّ إِذَا لَاقَى

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'O 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, you fast all the time and you do stand (in prayer) at night, but if you do that your eyes will become sunken and you will become exhausted. There is no fast for one who fasts every day of his life. Fasting a lifetime means fasting three days each month, (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2399)

قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «يَا عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو إِنَّكَ تَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتِ الْعَيْنُ وَنفهت لَهُ النَّفْسُ لَا صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الْأَبَدَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَلَا يَفِرُّ إِذَا لَاقَى»

" يَا عَبْدَ الله: أَلَمْ أُخْبرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ، وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ؟ فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ؛ فَإِنَّكَ إِذْ فَعَلْتَ هَجَمَتْ عَيْنُكَ، وَنَفِهَتْ نَفْسُكَ، فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَقُمْ وَنَمْ، فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقّا، وَلِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقّا، وَإنَّ لِزوركَ عَليكَ حَقّا، وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَةَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ، قَالَ: إِنِّى أَجِدُ قُوَّةً، قَالَ: فَصُمْ صِيَامَ نَبِىِّ الله دَاوُدَ وَلاَ تَزِدْ عَلَيْهِ (نصفُ الدَّهْر) ".