Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari 3418
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، أَخْبَرَهُ وَأَبَا، سَلَمَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أُخْبِرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنِّي أَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ لأَصُومَنَّ النَّهَارَ وَلأَقُومَنَّ اللَّيْلَ مَا عِشْتُ. فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ لأَصُومَنَّ النَّهَارَ وَلأَقُومَنَّ اللَّيْلَ مَا عِشْتُ " قُلْتُ قَدْ قُلْتُهُ. قَالَ " إِنَّكَ لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ ذَلِكَ، فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَقُمْ وَنَمْ، وَصُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ الْحَسَنَةَ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا، وَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ صِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ ". فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ " فَصُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمَيْنِ ". قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ " فَصُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا، وَذَلِكَ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ، وَهْوَ عَدْلُ الصِّيَامِ ". قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ " لاَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ".
ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was told that I had said, “By Allah, I will fast every day and pray every night for as long as I live.” He asked me, “Are you the one who says that you will fast every day and pray every night for as long as you live?” I said, “I have said that.” He replied, “You cannot do that. Fast some days and refrain on others; pray and sleep. Fast three days each month, for a good deed is rewarded tenfold, and that is like fasting the whole year.” I said, “Messenger of Allah, I can do more than that.” He said, “Then fast every third day.” I said, “I can do more than that.” He said, “Then fast one day and refrain for one day. That is the fast of David, and it is a balanced fast.” I said, “Messenger of Allah, I can do more than that.” He replied, “There is nothing better than that.”
Translation notes
The instruction “fast every third day” is followed by a clearer alternate-day practice; both stages are retained as narrated.