Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
nasai-kubra:2724Ibrāhīm b. al-Ḥasan al-Miṣṣīṣī > Ḥajjāj b. Muḥammad > Shuʿbah > Ziyād b. Fayyāḍ > Abū ʿIyāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Fast one day of the month and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast two days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: ' I am able to do more than that.' The messenger of Allah said: 'The best fasting is the fast of Dawud; he used to fast one day and not the next."' 2406. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: "My beloved Prophet advised me to do three things which I will never give up, if Allah wills. He advised me to pray Duha to pray Witr before sleeping, and to fast three days of each month." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2403)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٢٧٢٤أَخْبَرَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْمِصِّيصِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «صُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «فَصُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَعْدَمَا قَالَ «أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ» «أَفْضَلُ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Muslim, Nasāʾī, Aḥmad, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī
muslim:1159n[Chain 1] Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah > Ghundar > Shuʿbah [Chain 2] Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná > Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Ziyād b. Fayyāḍ > Abū ʿIyāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

Observe fast for a day and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He then said: Observe fast for two days, and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe fast for three days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this, whereupon he said: Observe fast for four days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon he said: Then observe fast (which is the) best in the eye of Allah, the fast of David (peace be upon him) ; he used to observe fast one day and break on the other day.  

مسلم:١١٥٩nحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

nasai:2394Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná > Muḥammad > Shuʿbah > Ziyād b. Fayyāḍ > Abū ʿIyāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

"Fast one day, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast two days, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Observe the best kind of fasting before Allah, the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him; he used to fast 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.'"  

النسائي:٢٣٩٤أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

nasai:2397Muḥammad b. ʿUbayd > Asbāṭ > Muṭarrif > Ḥabīb b. Abū Thābit > Abū al-ʿAbbās > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'I have heard that you stand (in prayer) all night and fast all day.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I only meant good by that.' He said: 'One who fasts every day of his life has not truly fasted. But I will tell you what fasting for a lifetime means: Three days of every month.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said 'Observe the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him; he used to fast one day and not the next."' '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."  

النسائي:٢٣٩٧أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَرَدْتُ بِذَلِكَ إِلاَّ الْخَيْرَ قَالَ لاَ صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الأَبَدَ وَلَكِنْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى صَوْمِ الدَّهْرِ ثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ خَمْسَةَ أَيَّامٍ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَصُمْ عَشْرًا فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

nasai:2403Ibrāhīm b. al-Ḥasan > Ḥajjāj b. Muḥammad > Shuʿbah > Ziyād b. Fayyāḍ > Abū ʿIyāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Fast one day of the month and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast two days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: ' I am able to do more than that.' The messenger of Allah said: 'The best fasting is the fast of Dawud; he used to fast one day and not the next."' 2406. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: "My beloved Prophet advised me to do three things which I will never give up, if Allah wills. He advised me to pray Duha to pray Witr before sleeping, and to fast three days of each month."  

النسائي:٢٤٠٣أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَصُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَصُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَفْضَلُ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

ahmad:7098Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Ziyād b. Fayyāḍsamiʿt Abū ʿIyāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

"Fast one day, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast two days, and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He ﷺ said: "Observe the best kind of fasting before Allah, the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him; he used to fast 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 2394)  

أحمد:٧٠٩٨حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍسَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللهِ صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

nasai-kubra:2715Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná > Muḥammad > Shuʿbah > Ziyād b. Fayyāḍ > Abū ʿIyāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

Observe fast for a day and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He then said: Observe fast for two days, and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe fast for three days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this, whereupon he said: Observe fast for four days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon he said: Then observe fast (which is the) best in the eye of Allah, the fast of David (peace be upon him) ; he used to observe fast one day and break on the other day. (Using translation from Muslim 1159n)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٢٧١٥أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ قَالَ وَأَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ «صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ» قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللهِ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»  

bayhaqi:8451Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Ibrāhīm b. ʿAbdullāh > Rawḥ b. ʿUbādah > Shuʿbah > And ʾNbʾ Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad al-Qabbānī > Muḥammad b. Muthanná > Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Ziyād b. Fayyāḍ > Abū ʿIyāḍ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

Observe fast for a day and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He then said: Observe fast for two days, and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe fast for three days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this, whereupon he said: Observe fast for four days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon he said: Then observe fast (which is the) best in the eye of Allah, the fast of David (peace be upon him) ; he used to observe fast one day and break on the other day. (Using translation from Muslim 1159n)   

البيهقي:٨٤٥١أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ أنبأ رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ وَأنبأ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَبَّانِيُّ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُثَنَّى ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ ثنا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصِّيَامِ عِنْدَ اللهِ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُثَنَّى