ذِكْرُ الْأَمْرِ بِصِيَامِ نِصْفِ الدَّهْرِ لِمَنْ قَوِيَ عَلَى أَكْثَرِ مِنْ صِيَامِ أَيَّامِ الْبِيضِ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: “O Abdullah, have I not been informed that you fast during the day and stand (in prayer) at night?” I said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Do not do that. Fast and break your fast; stand ˹in prayer˺ and sleep. For your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your guest has a right over you. It is sufficient for you to fast three days every month, for for every good deed you have ten like it, and that is like fasting for the whole lifetime.”

So I insisted, and it was made stricter for me. I said: O Messenger of Allah, I find strength ˹to do more˺. He said: “Then fast the fasting of the Prophet of Allah, Dawud ᴬˢ, and do not go beyond that.” I asekd: And what was the fasting of the Prophet of Allah, Dawud ᴬˢ? He said: “Half of the time (i.e. alternate days).” 

And Abdullah used to say after he grew old: Would that I had accepted the concession of the Prophet ﷺ.

قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ؟» فَقُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ۔ قَالَ: «فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ، صُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَقُمْ وَنَمْ، فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ»۔ 

فَشَدَّدْتُ فَشُدِّدَ عَلَىَّ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً۔ قَالَ: «فَصُمْ صِيَامَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَلاَ تَزِدْ عَلَيْهِ»، قُلْتُ: وَمَا كَانَ صِيَامُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ؟ قَالَ: «نِصْفَ الدَّهْرِ»۔ 

فَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرَ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ۔

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

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] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "It has reached me that you fast during the day and pray at night. Do not do so, for your body has rights over you, your eyes have rights over you, and your spouse has rights over you. Fast three days every month, for that is the fasting of a whole year." I said, "I have the ability to do more than that." He said, "Fast like the fasting of Prophet David: fast one day and break your fast the next day." Ibn Amr used to say, "I wish I had taken the concession." A'fan and Bahz said, "I find myself with the ability to do more."

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ عَفَّانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَلِيمُ بْنُ حَيَّانَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مِينَاءَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا وَلِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا وَلِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ فَذَلِكَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ بِي قُوَّةً قَالَ صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا قَالَ فَكَانَ ابْنُ عَمْرٍو يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ أَخَذْتُ بِالرُّخْصَةِ وقَالَ عَفَّانُ وَبَهْزٌ إِنِّي أَجِدُ بِي قُوَّةً

[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] I, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , have informed that you stand the night and fast during the day. He said, I said, "O Messenger of Allah, yes." He said, "Then fast and break your fast, pray and sleep, for indeed your body has rights upon you, and your spouse has rights upon you, and your guest has rights upon you, and it is sufficient for you to fast three days of every month." He said, so I insisted, and he insisted on me. I said, "O Messenger of Allah, I find strength." He said, "Then fast three days of every week." He said, so I insisted, and he insisted on me. I said, "O Messenger of Allah, I find strength." He said, "Fast the fast of the Prophet Davidﷺ and do not exceed it." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, what was the fast of David?" He said, "He used to fast one day and break his fast on the next day."

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَقَدْأُخْبِرْتُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَصَلِّ وَنَمْ فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ قَالَ فَشَدَّدْتُ فَشُدِّدَ عَلَيَّ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً قَالَ فَصُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ قَالَ فَشَدَّدْتُ فَشُدِّدَ عَلَيَّ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً قَالَ صُمْ صَوْمَ نَبِيِّ اللهِ دَاوُدَ وَلَا تَزِدْ عَلَيْهِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَمَا كَانَ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ؟ قَالَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا

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»

[AI] Did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ not inform you that you should fast during the day and stand (in prayer) during the night? I said, "Yes." He said, "Do not do so, for if you do, your eyes will become weak and your soul will become disgruntled. Indeed, your eyes have a right over you, your soul has a right over you, and your family has a right over you. So, fast and break your fast, stand (in prayer) and sleep."

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ فَلَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ هَجَمَتْ عَيْنَاكَ وَنَفِهَتْ نَفْسُكَ إِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ حَقًّا وَلِنَفْسِكَ حَقًّا وَلِأَهْلِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا صُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَقُمْ وَنَمْ

" 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) ".