"The Messenger of Allah said: "The best of fasting is the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him. He used to fast for one day and break his fast for one day."' 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2388)   

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «أَفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»  

"Abdullah bin 'Amr said to me: My father got me married to a woman from a noble family, and he used to come to her and ask her about her husband. She said: What a wonderful man he is! He never comes to my bed. And he has never approached me since he married me. He mentioned that to the Prophet and he said: Bring him to me. So he brought him with him and (the Prophet) said: How do you fast? I said: "Every day." He said: "Fast three days of every month." I said: "I am able to do better than that." He said: "Fast for two days, and break your fast for one day." He said; "I am able to do better than that". He said: "Observe the best of fasts, the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him: Fasting for one day and breaking the fast for one day." 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2389)  

نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ رَجُلٍ لَمْ يَطَأْ لَنَا فِرَاشًا وَلَمْ يُفَتِّشْ لَنَا كَنَفًا مُنْذُ أَتَيْنَاهُ فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ «الْقَنِي بِهِ» فَأَتَيْتُهُ مَعَهُ فَقَالَ «كَيْفَ تَصُومُ؟» قُلْتُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ قَالَ «صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «فَصُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «فَصُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ صِيَامَ دَاوُدَ صَوْمُ يَوْمٍ وَفِطْرُ يَوْمٍ»  

"My father got me married to a woman and he came to visit her and said: 'What do you think of your husband?' She said: 'What a wonderful man he is. He does not sleep at night and he does not break his fast during the day.' He got upset with me and said: 'I got you married to a woman from among the Muslims and you have neglected her.' I did not pay attention to what he said because of my energy and love of worship. News of that reached the Prophet and he said: 'But I stand (in prayer) and I sleep, I fast and I break my fast. So stand (in prayer) and sleep, fast and break your fast.' He said: 'Fast three days of every month.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'O bserve the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him: fast one day and break your fast one day.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Read the Quran (once) every month.' Then it ended up being every fifteen days, and I still said: 'I am able to do more than that."' 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2390)  

نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ رَجُلٍ لَا يَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ وَلَا يُفْطِرُ النَّهَارَ فَوَقَعَ بِي وَقَالَ زَوَّجْتُكَ امْرَأَةً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَعَضَلْتَهَا قَالَ فَجَعَلْتُ لَا أَلْتَفِتُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ مِمَّا أَرَى عِنْدِي مِنَ الْقُوَّةِ وَالِاجْتِهَادِ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ «لَكِنِّي أَنَا أَقُومُ وَأَنَامُ وَأَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ فَقُمْ وَنَمْ وَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ» قَالَ «صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ» قُلْتُ أَنَا أَقْوَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا» قُلْتُ أَنَا أَقْوَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «اقْرَأْ الْقُرْآنَ فِي شَهْرٍ» ثُمَّ انْتَهَى إِلَى خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَنَا أَقُولُ أَنَا أَقْوَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ  

"The Messenger of Allah entered my apartment and said: "I have been told that you stand all night (in prayer) and fast all day.' I said: 'Yes (I do).' He said: 'Do not do that. Sleep and stand (in prayer); fast and break your fast. For your eyes have a right over you, your body has a right over you, your body has a right over you, your wife has a right over you, your guest has a right over you, and your friend has a right over you. I hope that you will have a long life and that it will be sufficient for you to fast three days of each month. That is fasting for a lifetime, because a good deed is equal to ten like it.' I said : 'I feel able to do more.' I was strict, so I was dealt with strictly. He said: 'Fast three days each week.' I said: 'I am ableto do more thtn that; I was strict, so I was dealt with strictly. He said: 'Observe the fast of the Prophet of Allah, Dawud, peace be upon him. I said: 'What was the fast of Dawud?' he said: 'Half of a lifetime."' 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2391)  

دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ حُجْرَتِي فَقَالَ «أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ؟» قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ «فَلَا تَفْعَلَنَّ نَمْ وَقُمْ وَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ فَإِنَّ لِعَيْنَيْكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجَتِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّ لِضَيْفِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّهُ عَسَى أَنْ يَطُولَ بِكَ عُمُرٌ وَإِنَّهُ حَسْبُكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثًا فَذَلِكَ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ بِالْحَسَنَةِ عَشْرًا» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً فَشَدَّدْتُ فَشُدِّدَ عَلَيَّ قَالَ «صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَشَدَّدْتُ فَشُدِّدَ عَلَيَّ قَالَ «صُمْ صَوْمَ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ﷺ دَاوُدَ» قُلْتُ وَمَا كَانَ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ؟ قَالَ «نِصْفُ الدَّهْرِ»  

Is it you who said this? I said to him: Messenger of Allah, it is I who said that. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah may peace be upon him) said: You are not capable enough to do so. Observe fast and break it; sleep and stand for prayer, and observe fast for three days during the month; for every good is multiplied ten times and this is like fasting for ever. I said: Messenger of Allah. I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon he said: Fast one day and do not fast for the next two days. I said: Messenger of Allah, I have the strength to do more than that. The Prophet ﷺ, said: Fast one day and break on the other day. That is known as the fasting of David (peace be upon him) and that is the best fasting. I said: I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: There is nothing better than this. 'Abdullah b. 'Amr (Allah be pleased with them) said: Had I accepted the three days (fasting during every month) as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said, it would have been more dear to me than my family and my property. (Using translation from Muslim 1159a)  

ذُكِرَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَأَقُومَنَّ اللَّيْلَ وَلَأَصُومَنَّ النَّهَارَ مَا عِشْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ؟» فَقُلْتُ لَهُ قَدْ قُلْتُهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ ذَلِكَ فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَنَمْ وَقُمْ وَصُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَإِنَّ الْحَسَنَةَ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا وَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ صِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ» قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمَيْنِ» قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ «فَصُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا وَذَلِكَ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ وَهُوَ أَعْدَلُ الصِّيَامِ» قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «لَا أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ» قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو لَأَنْ أَكُونَ قَبِلْتُ الثَّلَاثَةَ الْأَيَّامَ الَّتِي قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَهْلِي وَمَالِي  

"I entered upon 'Abdullah bin 'Amr and said: O uncle, tell me what the Messenger of Allah said to you. He said: O son of my brother, I had resolved to strive very hard until I said: I will fast for the rest of my life and I will read the whole Quran every day and night. The Messenger of Allah heard about that, and came in to me in my house, and said: I have heard that you said, I will fast for a lifetime and will read the Quran. I said: I did say that, O Messenger of Allah. He said; Do not do that. Fast three days of each month. I said: I am able to do more than that. He said: fast two days of each week, Monday and Thursday. I said: I am able to do more than that. He said; Observe the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him, for it is the best kind of fasting before Allah; one day fasting, and one day not fasting. And when he made a promise he did not break it, and when he met (the enemy in battle) he did not flee." 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2393)  

لَكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ أَجْمَعْتُ عَلَى أَنْ أَجْتَهِدَ اجْتِهَادًا شَدِيدًا حَتَّى قُلْتُ لَأَصُومَنَّ الدَّهْرَ وَلَأَقْرَأَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ فَسَمِعَ بِذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَتَانِي حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ فِي دَارِي فَقَالَ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ قُلْتَ لَأَصُومَنَّ الدَّهْرَ فَقُلْتُ قَدْ قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ «فَلَا تَفْعَلْ صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَقْوَى عَلَى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «فَصُمْ مِنَ الْجُمُعَةِ يَوْمَيْنِ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسَ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَقْوَى عَلَى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكِ قَالَ «فَصُمْ صِيَامَ دَاوُدَ فَإِنَّهُ أَعْدَلُ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللهِ يَوْمًا صَائِمًا وَيَوْمًا مُفْطِرًا وَإِنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا وَعَدَ لَمْ يُخْلِفْ وَإِذَا لَاقَى لَمْ يَفِرَّ»