He (al-Bāhilī) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then went away and came back to him after a year, and his condition and appearance had changed. He said, “O Messenger of Allah, do you not recognize me?” He said, “Who are you?” He said, “I am the al-Bāhilī who came to you last year.” He said, “What has changed you, when you used to be of good appearance?” He said, “I have not eaten any food except at night since I left you.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Why have you tortured yourself?”

Then he said, “Fast the month of patience (i.e. Ramaḍān), and one day from every month.” He said, “Increase it for me, for I have strength.” He said, “Fast two days.” He said, “Increase it for me.” He said, “Fast three days.” He said, “Increase it for me.” He said, “Fast during the sacred months and leave off; fast during the sacred months and leave off; fast during the sacred months and leave off.” And he gestured with his three fingers, drawing them together and then releasing them.  

أَنَّهُ أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ فَأَتَاهُ بَعْدَ سَنَةٍ وَقَدْ تَغَيَّرَتْ حَالَتُهُ وَهَيْئَتُهُ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمَا تَعْرِفُنِي؟ قَالَ: «وَمَنْ أَنْتَ؟» قَالَ: أَنَا الْبَاهِلِيُّ الَّذِي جِئْتُكَ عَامَ الأَوَّلِ۔ قَالَ: «فَمَا غَيَّرَكَ وَقَدْ كُنْتَ حَسَنَ الْهَيْئَةِ؟» قَالَ: مَا أَكَلْتُ طَعَامًا إِلاَّ بِلَيْلٍ مُنْذُ فَارَقْتُكَ۔ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «لِمَ عَذَّبْتَ نَفْسَكَ؟»

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «صُمْ شَهْرَ الصَّبْرِ، وَيَوْمًا مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ۔» قَالَ: زِدْنِي فَإِنَّ بِي قُوَّةً۔ قَالَ: «صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ۔» قَالَ: زِدْنِي۔ قَالَ: «صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ۔» قَالَ: زِدْنِي۔ قَالَ: «صُمْ مِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَاتْرُكْ، صُمْ مِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَاتْرُكْ، صُمْ مِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَاتْرُكْ۔» وَقَالَ بِأَصَابِعِهِ الثَّلاَثَةِ فَضَمَّهَا ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَهَا  

“I came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, I am the man who came to you last year.’ He said: ‘Why do I see your body so thin (and weak)?’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I do not eat during the day; I only eat at night.’ He said: ‘Who commanded you to punish yourself?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I am strong enough.’ He said: ‘Fast the month of patience* and one day after it.’ I said: ‘I am strong enough (to do more).’ He said: ‘Fast the month of patience and two days after it.’ I said: ‘I am strong enough (to do more).’ He said: ‘Fast the month of patience and three days after it, and fast the sacred months.’”  

أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ أَنَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي أَتَيْتُكَ عَامَ الأَوَّلِ قَالَ فَمَا لِي أَرَى جِسْمَكَ نَاحِلاً قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَكَلْتُ طَعَامًا بِالنَّهَارِ مَا أَكَلْتُهُ إِلاَّ بِاللَّيْلِ قَالَ مَنْ أَمَرَكَ أَنْ تُعَذِّبَ نَفْسَكَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَقْوَى قَالَ صُمْ شَهْرَ الصَّبْرِ وَيَوْمًا بَعْدَهُ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَقْوَى قَالَ صُمْ شَهْرَ الصَّبْرِ وَيَوْمَيْنِ بَعْدَهُ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَقْوَى قَالَ صُمْ شَهْرَ الصَّبْرِ وَثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ بَعْدَهُ وَصُمْ أَشْهُرَ الْحُرُمِ  

[Machine] I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once for a need. He said, “Who are you?” I said, “Do you not recognize me?” He said, “And who are you?” I said, “I am the Bahili who came to you last year.” He said, “You came to me with a fine body, complexion, and appearance—so what has brought you to what I see?” I said, “By Allah, since I left you I have not broken my fast except at night.” He said, “Who commanded you to torture yourself?”—three times. “Fast the month of patience: Ramadan.” I said, “I find strength, and I would like you to increase me.” He said, “Then fast one day of the month.” I said, “I find strength, and I would like you to increase me.” He said, “Then two days of the month.” I said, “I find strength, and I would like you to increase me.” He said, “What more do you seek beyond the month of patience and two days in the month?” I said, “I find strength, and I would like you to increase me.” He said, “Then three days of the month.” And he pressed him at the third time, and he could hardly speak. I said, “I find strength, and I would like you to increase me.” He said, “Then fast in the sacred months, and break your fast.”  

أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لِحَاجَةٍ مَرَّةً فَقَالَ مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ أَوَ مَا تَعْرِفُنِي؟ قَالَ وَمَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ أَنَا الْبَاهِلِيُّ الَّذِي أَتَيْتُكَ عَامَ أَوَّلٍ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ أَتَيْتَنِي وَجِسْمُكَ وَلَوْنُكَ وَهَيْئَتُكَ حَسَنَةٌ فَمَا بَلَغَ بِكَ مَا أَرَى؟ فَقَالَ إِنِّي وَاللهِ مَا أَفْطَرْتُ بَعْدَكَ إِلَّا لَيْلًا قَالَ مَنْ أَمَرَكَ أَنْ تُعَذِّبَ نَفْسَكَ؟ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ صُمْ شَهْرَ الصَّبْرِ رَمَضَانَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَزِيدَنِي قَالَ فَصُمْ يَوْمًا مِنَ الشَّهْرِ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَزِيدَنِي قَالَ فَيَوْمَيْنِ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَزِيدَنِي قَالَ وَمَا تَبْغِي عَنْ شَهْرِ الصَّبْرِ وَيَوْمَيْنِ فِي الشَّهْرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَزِيدَنِي قَالَ فَثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ قَالَ وَأَلْحَمَ عِنْدَ الثَّالِثَةِ فَمَا كَادَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَزِيدَنِي قَالَ فَمِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَأَفْطِرْ  

The father or Uncle of Mujibah al-Bahiliyyah visited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He then went away and came to him (again) after one year when his condition and appearance had changed. He said: Messenger of Allah, do you not recognize me? He asked: Who are you? He replied: I am al-Bahili who came to you last year. He said: What has changed you? You were looking well, then you were good in appearance? He said: I have only food at night since I departed from you. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Why did you torment yourself? Fast during Ramadan (the month of patience) and fast for one day every month. He said: Increase it for me, for I have (more) strength. He said: Fast two days. He again said: Increase it for me. He said: Fast three days. He again said: Increase it for me. He said: Fast during the inviolable months and then stop; fast during the inviolable months and then stop; fast during the inviolable months and then stop. He indicated by his three fingers, and joined them and then opened them. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2428)   

أَنَّهُ أَتَى رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ فَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ بَعْدَ سَنَةٍ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي مُوسَى فَأَتَاهُ بَعْدَ سَنَةٍ وَقَدْ تَغَيَّرَتْ حَالُهُ وَهَيْئَتُهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَمَا تَعْرِفُنِي؟ قَالَ وَمَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ أَنَا الْبَاهِلِيُّ الَّذِي جِئْتُكَ عَامَ أَوَّلَ قَالَ فَمَا غَيَّرَكَ وَقَدْ كُنْتَ حَسَنَ الْهَيْئَةِ قَالَ مَا أَكَلْتُ طَعَامًا مُنْذُ فَارَقْتُكَ إِلَّا بِلَيْلٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لِمَ عَذَّبْتَ نَفْسَكَ صُمْ شَهْرَ الصَّبْرِ وَمِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ يَوْمًا قَالَ زِدْنِي فَإِنَّ بِي قُوَّةً قَالَ صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ زِدْنِي فَإِنَّ بِي قُوَّةً قَالَ صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ زَادَ عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ قَالَ زِدْنِي فَإِنَّ بِي قُوَّةً قَالَ صُمْ مِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَاتْرُكْ يَقُولُهَا ثَلَاثًا وَفِي رِوَايَةِ مُوسَى قَالَ زِدْنِي قَالَ صُمْ مِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَاتْرُكْ صُمْ مِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَاتْرُكْ صُمْ مِنَ الْحُرُمِ وَاتْرُكْ وَقَالَ بِأَصَابِعِهِ الثَّلَاثِ فَضَمَّهَا ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَهَا