The news of my fasting was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ . So he entered upon me and I put for him a leather cushion stuffed with palm-fibres. The Prophet ﷺ sat on the floor and the cushion was between me and him. He said to me, "Isn't it sufficient for you (that you fast) three days a month?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! (I can fast more than this)." He said, "You may fast) five days a month." I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! (I can fast more than this)." He said, "(You may fast) seven days." I said, "O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Nine." I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" He said, "Eleven." I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" He said, "No fasting is superior to the fasting of (the Prophet ﷺ David) which was one half of a year, and he used, to fast on alternate days. (See Hadith No. 300, Vol 3)  

فَحَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ ذُكِرَ لَهُ صَوْمِي فَدَخَلَ عَلَىَّ فَأَلْقَيْتُ لَهُ وِسَادَةً مِنْ أَدَمٍ حَشْوُهَا لِيفٌ فَجَلَسَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ وَصَارَتِ الْوِسَادَةُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ فَقَالَ لِي أَمَا يَكْفِيكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ خَمْسًا قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ سَبْعًا قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ تِسْعًا قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ لاَ صَوْمَ فَوْقَ صَوْمِ دَاوُدَ شَطْرَ الدَّهْرِ صِيَامُ يَوْمٍ وَإِفْطَارُ يَوْمٍ  

'Alaqama went to Sham and came to the mosque and offered a two-rakʿat prayer, and invoked Allah: "O Allah! Bless me with a (pious) good companion." So he sat beside Abu Ad-Darda' who asked, "From where are you?" He said, "From the people of Kufa." Abu Darda' said, "Wasn't there among you the person who keeps the secrets (of the Prophet ﷺ ) which nobody knew except him (i.e., Hudhaifa (bin Al-Yaman)). And isn't there among you the person whom Allah gave refuge from Satan through the request (tongue) of Messenger of Allah ﷺ? (i.e., ʿAmmar). Isn't there among you the one who used to carry the Siwak and the cushion (or pillows (of the Prophets)? (i.e., Ibn Masʿud). How did Ibn Masʿud use to recite 'By the night as it conceals (the light)?" (Sura 92). 'Alqama said, "Wadhdhakari Wal Untha' (And by male and female.") Abu Ad-Darda added. 'These people continued to argue with me regarding it till they were about to cause me to have doubts although I heard it from Messenger of Allah ﷺ."  

ذَهَبَ عَلْقَمَةُ إِلَى الشَّأْمِ فَأَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي جَلِيسًا فَقَعَدَ إِلَى أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ فَقَالَ مِمَّنْ أَنْتَ قَالَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ فِيكُمْ صَاحِبُ السِّرِّ الَّذِي كَانَ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُ غَيْرُهُ يَعْنِي حُذَيْفَةَ أَلَيْسَ فِيكُمْ أَوْ كَانَ فِيكُمُ الَّذِي أَجَارَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى لِسَانِ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ يَعْنِي عَمَّارًا أَوَلَيْسَ فِيكُمْ صَاحِبُ السِّوَاكِ وَالْوِسَادِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَقْرَأُ {وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى} قَالَ {وَالذَّكَرِ وَالأُنْثَى} فَقَالَ مَا زَالَ هَؤُلاَءِ حَتَّى كَادُوا يُشَكِّكُونِي وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ