Observe fast for a day and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He then said: Observe fast for two days, and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe fast for three days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this, whereupon he said: Observe fast for four days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon he said: Then observe fast (which is the) best in the eye of Allah, the fast of David (peace be upon him) ; he used to observe fast one day and break on the other day.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

"Fast one day, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast two days, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Observe the best kind of fasting before Allah, the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him; he used to fast one day and break his fast for one day." 'Ata said: "Someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted.'"  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'I have heard that you stand (in prayer) all night and fast all day.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I only meant good by that.' He said: 'One who fasts every day of his life has not truly fasted. But I will tell you what fasting for a lifetime means: Three days of every month.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said 'Observe the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him; he used to fast one day and not the next."' 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَرَدْتُ بِذَلِكَ إِلاَّ الْخَيْرَ قَالَ لاَ صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الأَبَدَ وَلَكِنْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى صَوْمِ الدَّهْرِ ثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ خَمْسَةَ أَيَّامٍ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَصُمْ عَشْرًا فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Fast one day of the month and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast two days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: ' I am able to do more than that.' The messenger of Allah said: 'The best fasting is the fast of Dawud; he used to fast one day and not the next."' 2406. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: "My beloved Prophet advised me to do three things which I will never give up, if Allah wills. He advised me to pray Duha to pray Witr before sleeping, and to fast three days of each month."  

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَصُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَصُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَفْضَلُ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

"Fast one day, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast two days, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Observe the best kind of fasting before Allah, the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him; he used to fast one day and break his fast for one day." 'Ata said: "Someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2394)  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللهِ صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

[Machine] I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about fasting, and he said, "Fast one day of every month and you will have the reward of what remains." I said, "I am able to do more than that." He said, "Fast two days of every month and you will have the reward of what remains." I said, "I am able to do more than that." He said, "Fast three days of every month and you will have the reward of what remains." I said, "I am able to do more than that." He said, "The most beloved fast to Allah is the fasting of Prophet David. He used to fast one day and break his fast on the following day."  

أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الصَّوْمِ فَقَالَ «صُمْ يَوْمًا مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ» وَكَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

Observe fast for a day and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He then said: Observe fast for two days, and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe fast for three days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this, whereupon he said: Observe fast for four days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon he said: Then observe fast (which is the) best in the eye of Allah, the fast of David (peace be upon him) ; he used to observe fast one day and break on the other day. (Using translation from Muslim 1159n)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ «صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللهِ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»  

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Fast one day of the month and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast two days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: ' I am able to do more than that.' The messenger of Allah said: 'The best fasting is the fast of Dawud; he used to fast one day and not the next."' 2406. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: "My beloved Prophet advised me to do three things which I will never give up, if Allah wills. He advised me to pray Duha to pray Witr before sleeping, and to fast three days of each month." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2403)  

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «صُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «فَصُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَعْدَمَا قَالَ «أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ» «أَفْضَلُ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»