Virtues of various methods of observing voluntary fasts

We are pleased with Allah as the Lord, with Islam as our Code of Life, with Muhammad as the Messenger and with our pledge (to you for willing and cheerful submission) as a (sacred) commitment. He was then asked about perpetual fasting, whereupon he said: He neither fasted nor did he break it, or he did not fast and he did not break it. He was then asked about fasting for two days and breaking one day. He (the Holy Prophet) said: And who has strength enough to do it? He was asked about fasting for a day and breaking for two days, whereupon he said: May Allah bestow upon us strength to do it. He was then asked about fasting for a day and breaking on the other, whereupon he said: That is the fasting of my brother David (peace be upon him). He was then asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said: It was the day on which I was born. on which I was commissioned with prophethood or revelation was sent to me, (and he further) said: Three days' fasting every month and of the whole of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fast. He was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafa (9th of Dhu'I-Hijja), whereupon he said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year. He was asked about fasting on the day of 'Ashura (10th of Muharram), whereupon be said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year. (Imam Muslim said that in this hadith there is a) narration of Imam Shu'ba that he was asked about fasting on Monday and Thursday, but we (Imam Muslim) did not mention Thursday for we found it as an error (in reporting).  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ سُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِهِ قَالَ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ؓ: رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولاً وَبِبَيْعَتِنَا بَيْعَةً۔

قَالَ فَسُئِلَ عَنْ صِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ فَقَالَ: «لاَ صَامَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَ أَوْ مَا صَامَ وَمَا أَفْطَرَ۔»

قَالَ فَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمَيْنِ وَإِفْطَارِ يَوْمٍ قَالَ: «وَمَنْ يُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ؟»

قَالَ وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمٍ وَإِفْطَارِ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ: «لَيْتَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَوَّانَا لِذَلِكَ۔»

قَالَ وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمٍ وَإِفْطَارِ يَوْمٍ قَالَ: «ذَاكَ صَوْمُ أَخِي دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ۔»

قَالَ وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ الاِثْنَيْنِ قَالَ: «ذَاكَ يَوْمٌ وُلِدْتُ فِيهِ، وَيَوْمٌ بُعِثْتُ أَوْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَىَّ فِيهِ۔» قَالَ فَقَالَ: «صَوْمُ ثَلاَثَةٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَمَضَانَ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ۔»

قَالَ وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ فَقَالَ: «يُكَفِّرُ السَّنَةَ الْمَاضِيَةَ وَالْبَاقِيَةَ۔»

قَالَ وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ فَقَالَ: «يُكَفِّرُ السَّنَةَ الْمَاضِيَةَ۔»  

How do you fast? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt annoyed. When 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) noticed his annoyance, he said: We are well pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our code of life, and with Muhammad as our Prophet. We seek refuge with Allah from the anger of Allah and that of His Messenger. 'Umar kept on repeating these words till his (the Prophet's) anger calmed down. Then Umar said: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who fasts perpetually? He ﷺ said: He neither fasted nor broke it, or he said: He did not fast and he did not break it. 'Umar said: What about him who fasts for two days and does not fast one day? He ﷺ said: Is anyone capable of doing that? He ('Umar) said: What is the position of him who fasts for a day and doesn't fast on the other day? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: That is the fast of David (peace be upon him). He ('Umar) said: What about him who fasts one day and doesn't fast for two days. Thereupon he (the Messenger of Allah) said: I wish I were given the strength to do that. Thereafter he ﷺ said: Fasting three days every month and that of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fasting. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of 'Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura may atone for the sins of the preceding year.  

رَجُلٌ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا رَأَى عُمَرُ ؓ غَضَبَهُ قَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ وَغَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ فَجَعَلَ عُمَرُ ؓ يُرَدِّدُ هَذَا الْكَلاَمَ حَتَّى سَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ قَالَ لاَ صَامَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَ أَوْ قَالَ لَمْ يَصُمْ وَلَمْ يُفْطِرْ قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ ذَاكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثَلاَثٌ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ فَهَذَا صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ  

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: How do you fast, Messenger of Allah? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ became angry at what he said. When Umar observed this (his anger), he said: We are satisfied with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet. We seek refuge in Allah from the anger of Allah, and from the anger of His Apostle. Umar continued to repeat these words till his anger cooled down. He then asked: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who observes a perpetual fast? He replied: May he not fast or break his fast. Musaddad said in his version: He has neither fasted nor broken his fast. The narrator, Ghaylan, doubted the actual wordings. He asked: What is the position of one who fasts two days and does not fast one day? He said: Is anyone able to do that? He asked: What is the position of one who fasts every second day (i.e. fasts one day and does not fasts the next day)? He (the Prophet) said: This is the fast that David observed. He asked: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who fasts one day and breaks it for two days? He replied: I wish I were given the power to observe that. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The observance of three days' fast every month and of one Ramadan to the other (i.e. the fast of Ramadan every year) is (equivalent to) a perpetual fast. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming year, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura' may atone for the sins of the preceding year.  

أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ عُمَرُ قَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ وَمِنْ غَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ عُمَرُ يُرَدِّدُهَا حَتَّى سَكَنَ غَضَبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ قَالَ لاَ صَامَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَ قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ لَمْ يَصُمْ وَلَمْ يُفْطِرْ أَوْ مَا صَامَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَ شَكَّ غَيْلاَنُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ أَوَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ ذَلِكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثَلاَثٌ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ فَهَذَا صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ وَصِيَامُ عَرَفَةَ إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ وَصَوْمُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ  

[Machine] A Bedouin asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about his fasting, so the Prophet ﷺ became angry until it was evident on his face. Then 'Umar ibn al-Khattab stood up and said, "We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion, and you as our Prophet. I seek refuge in Allah from the anger of Allah and the anger of His Messenger." 'Umar continued repeating this until he calmed down. Then he said, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you say about a man who fasts the entire year?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "He neither fasts nor breaks his fast." 'Umar asked, "What about someone who fasts two days and breaks his fast for one day?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Whoever is capable of doing so may do it." 'Umar asked again, "And what about someone who breaks his fast for two days and fasts one day?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "I wish that I were given the ability to do that." 'Umar asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you say about fasting on Mondays?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "That is the day I was born and the day on which revelation was sent down to me." 'Umar asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you say about fasting for one day and breaking the fast on the next day?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "That is the fasting of my brother Dawud (David), ﷺ ." 'Umar asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you say about fasting on the day of 'Ashura'?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Indeed, I hope that Allah will forgive the sins of the previous year." 'Umar asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you say about fasting on the day of Arafah?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Indeed, I hope that Allah will forgive the sins of the previous and upcoming year."  

أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَوْمِهِ فَغَضِبَ حَتَّى عُرِفَ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ فَقَامَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ فَقَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللهِ رَبًّا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَبِكَ نَبِيًّا أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ غَضَبِ اللهِ وَغَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ عُمَرُ ؓ يُرَدِّدُ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى سَكَنَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا تَقُولُ فِي رَجُلٍ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا صَامَ وَلَا أَفْطَرَ أَوْ قَالَ مَا صَامَ وَمَا أَفْطَرَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ وَمَنْ يَطِيقُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيَصُومُ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي صَوْمِ يَوْمِ الِاثْنَيْنِ فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ وُلِدْتُ فِيهِ وَأُنْزِلَ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي رَجُلٍ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ صَوْمُ أَخِي دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ قَالَ إِنِّي لَأَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللهِ ﷻ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ قَالَ إِنِّي لَأَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهَا وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهَا