Hadith #344

Arabic Text

English Translation

It was narrated from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr (رضي الله عنهما) — via 'Abd al-Wahhab ibn 'Ata', from al-Jurayri, from Abu al-'Ala', from Mutarrif ibn 'Abdullah — that 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr said: 'I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "O Messenger of Allah, prescribe fasting for me." He said: "Fast one day and you will have the reward of nine." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I find I have strength — give me more." He said: "Fast two days and you will have the reward of eight days." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I find I have strength — give me more." He said: "Then fast three days and you will have the reward of seven days." He kept reducing [the requirement] — until he said: "The best fast is the fast of my brother — or Allah's Prophet — Dawud" — al-Jurayri was uncertain which phrase he used — "fast one day and break fast one day."' 'Abdullah [ibn 'Amr] said — when old age had weakened him: 'Would that I had been content with what the Prophet ﷺ commanded me.'