Sahih Muslim Book - 13, Hadith - 2729

حَدَّثَنِى أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ وَهْبٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنِى حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ أَخْبَرَنِى يُونُسُ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِى سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ وَأَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ أُخْبِرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ لأَقُومَنَّ اللَّيْلَ وَلأَصُومَنَّ النَّهَارَ مَا عِشْتُ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « آنْتَ الَّذِى تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ ». فَقُلْتُ لَهُ قَدْ قُلْتُهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « فَإِنَّكَ لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ ذَلِكَ فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَنَمْ وَقُمْ وَصُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَإِنَّ الْحَسَنَةَ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا وَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ صِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ ». قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّى أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ « صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمَيْنِ ». قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّى أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ « صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا وَذَلِكَ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ - وَهُوَ أَعْدَلُ الصِّيَامِ ». قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّى أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لاَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ». قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو رضى الله عنهما لأَنْ أَكُونَ قَبِلْتُ الثَّلاَثَةَ الأَيَّامَ الَّتِى قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَهْلِى وَمَالِى.

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-As said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) was told that he (‘Abdullah) had said: ‘I shall most certainly spend my nights in standing (in prayer) and my days fasting for as long as I live.’ The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘Are you the one who said?’ I said to him: ‘I did say it, O Messenger of Allah (SAW).’ The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘You are not able to do that, Fast and break your fast, Sleep and get up (to pray). Fast three days every month, for each deed brings a tenfold reward, and that will be like fasting for a lifetime.’ I said: ‘I am able to do better than that.’ He said: ‘Fast one day and break your fast for two days.’ I said: ‘I am able to do better than that, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Fast one day and break your fast for one day(i.e., fast alternate days). That is the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him, and it is the best of fasting.’ I said: ‘I am able to do better than that.’ The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘There is nothing better than that.’” ‘Abdullah bin Amr [may Allah be pleased with them] said: “If I had accepted the three days that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) spoke of, that would have been dearer to me than my family and my wealth.”