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 man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Prophet of Allah, how do you fast?" The Prophet became angry. When Umar saw this, he said, "We are satisfied with Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion, and Muhammad ﷺ as our Prophet. We seek refuge with Allah from the anger of Allah and the anger of His Messenger." He kept repeating this until the anger of the Prophet subsided. Then he asked, "O Prophet of Allah, how can someone fast for two days and break their fast on one day?" The Prophet asked, "Can anyone endure that?" The man said, "Then how can someone fast for one day and break their fast on another day?" The Prophet said, "That was the fasting of my brother Dawud." The man asked, "Then how about someone who fasts for one day and breaks their fast for two days?" The Prophet said, "I wish I had been spared from that."  

أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ؟ قَالَ فَغَضِبَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ عُمَرُ قَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رِبًا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دَيْنًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ نَبِيًّا نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضِبِ اللَّهِ وَغَضِبِ رَسُولِهِ وَجَعَلَ يُرَدِّدُهَا حَتَّى سَكَنَ مِنْ غَضِبِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ «وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ؟ » قَالَ فَكَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ «ذَاكَ صَوْمُ أَخِي دَاوُدَ» قَالَ فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ؟ قَالَ «وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَاكَ»  

[Machine] An Arab man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said to him, "O Prophet of Allah, how do you fast or how do you observe fasting?" The Prophet ﷺ remained silent and did not respond to him. When his anger subsided, Umar ibn Al-Khattab asked him and said, "O Prophet of Allah, how do you fast or how do you observe fasting? Have you seen anyone who fasts the entire year?" He replied, "No, he neither fasts nor breaks his fast." Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah, what if someone fasts two days and breaks his fast for one day?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "If someone is able to do that, O Umar, I would have wished to do it." Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah, what if someone fasts one day and breaks his fast for one day?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "That is the fasting of Prophet David (upon him be peace)." Umar then asked, "O Prophet of Allah, what if someone fasts on the day of Arafah?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "It makes up for the previous year and the year after it." Umar asked, "What if someone fasts three days from each month?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "That is the fasting of the entire year." Umar asked, "What if someone fasts on the day of Ashura?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "It makes up for the previous year." Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah, what if someone fasts on Mondays?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "That is the day I was born and the day I received Prophethood."  

أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ كَيْفَ صَوْمُكَ أَوْ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ قَالَ فَسَكَتَ عَنْهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا فَلَمَّا أَنْ سَكَنَ عَنْهُ الْغَضَبُ سَأَلَهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ كَيْفَ صَوْمُكَ أَوْ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ صَامَ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ؟ قَالَ لَا صَامَ وَلَا أَفْطَرَ أَوْ قَالَ مَا صَامَ وَمَا أَفْطَرَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَفْطَرَ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَمَنْ يطِيقُ ذَلِكَ يَا عُمَرُ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطَرَ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ ذَاكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ؟ قَالَ يُكَفِّرُ السَّنَةَ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهَا قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ صَامَ ثَلَاثًا مِنَ الشَّهْرِ؟ قَالَ ذَاكَ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ؟ قَالَ يُكَفِّرُ السَّنَةَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ؟ قَالَ ذَاكَ يَوْمٌ وُلِدْتُ فِيهِ وَيَوْمٌ أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ النُّبُوَّةُ  

[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  

"عَنْ أَبِى قَتَادَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ الله ﷺ فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ نَصُومُ؟ فَغَضب حَتى رؤى الْغَضَبُ في وَجْهِهِ وَرَدَّدَ قَولَه كَيْفَ نَصُومُ؟ فَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عنه الْغَضَبُ أَقْبَلَ، فَكَبَّر عُمَرُ، فَقَالَ: رَضينَا بِالله تَعَالَى ربا وبالإسلَام دِينًا، وبمُحمَّد نبيا، وَبِبَيْعَتِنَا بَيْعة، فَسُئِلَ رسولُ الله ﷺ عَنْ رَجُلٍ صَامَ الدَّهَر؟ فَقَالَ: لَا صَامَ وَلَا أَفْطَرَ، أَو مَا صَامَ وَمَا أَفْطَر فسُئِلَ عَن صْيام يَوْمَينِ وإِفْطَار يَوْم، فَقَالَ: وَمَن يطق ذَلِكَ؟ فَسُئِلَ عَنْ صِيَام يَوم وَإِفْطَارِ يَوميْن، فَقَالَ: وَدَدَنا أَنَّ الله تَعَالَى قَوَّانَا عَلى ذَلِكَ، فَسُئِلَ عَنْ صِيَام يَوم وَإفطار يَوْم، قَالَ: ذَاكَ صِيامُ أخى داودَ، فَسُئِل عَنْ صِيَام يوم الاثْنَينِ، فَقَالَ: ذَاكَ يَومٌ بُعِثْتُ فِيه، وَولُدْتُ فِيهِ، وقَالَ صِيَامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ، وَرَمَضان إِلى رَمَضَان صَومُ الدَّهْر، وسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْم عَرَفَةَ، فَقَالَ: يُكَفِّر السنةَ الماضِيَةَ والبَاقِيةَ وسئِلَ عنْ صَوْم يَوْم عاشُورَاء، فَقَال: يُكَفِّر السَّنة المَاضية".