Sahih Muslim Book - 13, Hadith - 2734

وَحَدَّثَنِى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَطَاءً يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ - رضى الله عنهما - يَقُولُ بَلَغَ النَّبِىَّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أَنِّى أَصُومُ أَسْرُدُ وَأُصَلِّى اللَّيْلَ فَإِمَّا أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ وَإِمَّا لَقِيتُهُ فَقَالَ « أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ وَلاَ تُفْطِرُ وَتُصَلِّى اللَّيْلَ فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ حَظًّا وَلِنَفْسِكَ حَظًّا وَلأَهْلِكَ حَظًّا. فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَصَلِّ وَنَمْ وَصُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ عَشْرَةِ أَيَّامٍ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ تِسْعَةٍ ». قَالَ إِنِّى أَجِدُنِى أَقْوَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ يَا نَبِىَّ اللَّهِ. قَالَ « فَصُمْ صِيَامَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ». قَالَ وَكَيْفَ كَانَ دَاوُدُ يَصُومُ يَا نَبِىَّ اللَّهِ قَالَ « كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا وَلاَ يَفِرُّ إِذَا لاَقَى ». قَالَ مَنْ لِى بِهَذِهِ يَا نَبِىَّ اللَّهِ قَالَ عَطَاءٌ فَلاَ أَدْرِى كَيْفَ ذَكَرَ صِيَامَ الأَبَدِ. فَقَالَ النَّبِىُّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لاَ صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الأَبَدَ لاَ صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الأَبَدَ لاَ صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الأَبَدَ ».

Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As [may Allah be pleased with them] said: “The Prophet (SAW) heard that I was fasting day after day, and praying at night. Either he sent for me, or I met him, and he said: ‘Have I not been informed that you fast and do not break your fast, and you pray the (entire) night?’ Do not do that, for your eyes have a share, your self has a share, and your family has a share. Fast, and do not fast, pray, and sleep. Fast one day out of every ten, and you will have the reward for the (other) nine.”’ He said: “I feel that I am stronger than that, O Prophet of Allah.’ He said: “Then observe the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him.”’ He said: “How did Dawud fast, O Prophet of Allah?’ He said: ‘He used to fast one day and not the next, and he did not flee if he encountered (an enemy).’ He said: “How can I be like that, O Prophet of Allah?”’ ‘Ata (one of the narrators) said: “I do not know how he mentioned fasting day after day.” “And the Prophet (SAW): “He has not fasted who fasts all the time, he has not fasted who fasts all the time, he has not fasted who fasts all the time”’