“The most beloved fast to Allah is the fast of Dawud, for he used to fast one day and not the next. And the most beloved of prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud; he used to sleep half of the night, pray one-third of the night and sleep one-sixth of the night.”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَحَبُّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَأَحَبُّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَلاَةُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيُصَلِّي ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ  

“Umar bin Khattab said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What about a person who fasts two days and does not fast one day?’ He said: ‘Is anyone able to do that?’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What about a person who fasts one day and not the next?’ He said: ‘That is the fast of Dawud.’ He said: ‘What about a man who fasts one day and does not fast the next two days?’ He said: ‘I wish that I were given the ability to do that.’”  

عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ ذَلِكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ قَالَ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ؟ قَالَ وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ