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 ‏"‏‏.‏

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was informed that I have said: "By Allah, I will fast all the days and pray all the nights as long as I live." On that, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked me. "Are you the one who says: 'I will fast all the days and pray all the nights as long as I live?' " I said, "Yes, I have said it." He said, "You cannot do that. So fast (sometimes) and do not fast (sometimes). Pray and sleep. Fast for three days a month, for the reward of a good deed is multiplied by ten time, and so the fasting of three days a month equals the fasting of a year." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I can do (fast) more than this." He said, "Fast on every third day. I said: I can do (fast) more than that, He said: "Fast on alternate days and this was the fasting of David which is the most moderate sort of fasting." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I can do (fast) more than that." He said, "There is nothing better than that."