Once the Prophet ﷺ came while a woman was sitting with me. He said, "Who is she?" I replied, "She is so and so," and told him about her ˹excessive˺ praying. He said disapprovingly, "Do  deeds which is within your capacity as Allah does not tire ˹in giving rewards˺ but you will get tired and the best way of religion in the sight of Allah is that which is done regularly."

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَعِنْدَهَا امْرَأَةٌ، قَالَ: «مَنْ هَذِهِ؟» قَالَتْ: فُلاَنَةُ تَذْكُرُ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا، قَالَ: «مَهْ! عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا، وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ۔»

A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ asking how the worship of Prophet ﷺ was. When they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient. They said, "Where are we from the Prophet ﷺ as his past and future sins have been forgiven?" Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." 

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more in awe of Allah and more conscious of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I pray and I sleep and I marry women. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah (tradition) is not from me."

جَاءَ ثَلاَثَةُ رَهْطٍ إِلَى بُيُوتِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا أُخْبِرُوا كَأَنَّهُمْ تَقَالُّوهَا، فَقَالُوا: وَأَيْنَ نَحْنُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَدْ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَإِنِّي أُصَلِّي اللَّيْلَ أَبَدًا، وَقَالَ آخَرُ: أَنَا أَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ وَلاَ أُفْطِرُ، وَقَالَ آخَرُ: أَنَا أَعْتَزِلُ النِّسَاءَ فَلاَ أَتَزَوَّجُ أَبَدًا۔ 

فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ: «أَنْتُمُ الَّذِينَ قُلْتُمْ كَذَا وَكَذَا؟ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَخْشَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَتْقَاكُمْ لَهُ، لَكِنِّي أَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ، وَأُصَلِّي وَأَرْقُدُ، وَأَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ، فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي»

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Ruined were those who are over-scrupulous." He repeated this thrice.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «هَلَكَ الْمُتَنَطِّعُونَ» قَالَهَا ثَلاَثًا

from the Prophet ﷺ who said, "Religion is easy. Whoever overburdens himself in his religion it will overcome him. So do deeds properly, sincerely, and moderately, rejoice ˹for the rewards in the Hereafter˺; and seek help ˹through worship˺ in the mornings, the afternoons, and during the last hours of the nights."

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: «إِنَّ الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ، وَلَنْ يُشَادَّ الدِّينَ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ غَلَبَهُ۔ فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا، وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالْغَدْوَةِ وَالرَّوْحَةِ وَشَىْءٍ مِنَ الدُّلْجَةِ»

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The deeds of anyone of you will not save you ˹from Hellfire˺." They said, "Even you ˹will not be saved by your deeds˺, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He said, "No, even I ˹will not be saved˺ unless and until Allah bestows His Mercy upon me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your goal (Jannah)."

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «لَنْ يُنَجِّيَ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ عَمَلُهُ۔» قَالُوا: وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: «وَلاَ أَنَا، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِي اللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ۔ سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَاغْدُوا وَرُوحُوا وَشَىْءٌ مِنَ الدُّلْجَةِ وَالْقَصْدَ الْقَصْدَ تَبْلُغُوا۔»

Once the Prophet ﷺ entered the masjid and saw a rope hanging in between its two pillars. He said, "What is this rope?" The people said, "This rope is for Zaynab who, when she feels tired, holds it ˹to keep standing for the prayer.˺" The Prophet ﷺ said, "No, remove it! You should pray as long as you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down."

دَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَإِذَا حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ السَّارِيَتَيْنِ، فَقَالَ: «مَا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ؟» قَالُوا: هَذَا حَبْلٌ لِزَيْنَبَ فَإِذَا فَتَرَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ۔ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «لاَ حُلُّوهُ! لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ»

that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If anyone of you feels drowsy while praying he should go to bed until his slumber is over because in praying while drowsy one does not know whether one is asking for forgiveness or something for themselves."

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: «إِذَا نَعَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَلْيَرْقُدْ حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ عَنْهُ النَّوْمُ، فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا صَلَّى وَهُوَ نَاعِسٌ لاَ يَدْرِي لَعَلَّهُ يَسْتَغْفِرُ فَيَسُبَّ نَفْسَهُ»

I used to pray with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and both his prayer and sermon were of moderate length.

كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكَانَتْ صَلاَتُهُ قَصْدًا وَخُطْبَتُهُ قَصْدًا

The Prophet ﷺ established a bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu al-Darda. Salman paid a visit to Abu al-Darda and found Umm al-Darda dressed in shabby clothes and asked: "What's the matter?" She replied, "Your brother, Abu al-Darda is not interested in the luxuries of this world."

In the meantime Abu al-Darda came and prepared a meal for him (Salman), and said to him, "˹You go ahead and˺ eat for I am fasting." Salman said, "I am not going to eat, unless you eat." So Abu al-Darda ate. When it was nighttime, Abu ad-Darda got up ˹for the night prayer˺. Salman told him, "Sleep," and he slept. Again Abu  al-Darda got up ˹for the prayer˺, and Salman said, "Sleep." When it was the last part of the night, Salman said to him, "Get up now." So both of them offered their prayers. 

Salman said to Abu al-Darda, "Your Lord has a right on you, and your body has a right on you, and your family has a right on you. So you should give the rights of all those who have a right on you. Later on Abu al-Darda visited the Prophet ﷺ and mentioned that ˹incident˺ to him. The Prophet, said, "Salman has spoken the truth."

آخَى النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بَيْنَ سَلْمَانَ وَأَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، فَزَارَ سَلْمَانُ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ، فَرَأَى أُمَّ الدَّرْدَاءِ مُتَبَذِّلَةً، فَقَالَ لَهَا: «مَا شَأْنُكِ؟» قَالَتْ: أَخُوكَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ لَيْسَ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا. 

فَجَاءَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَصَنَعَ لَهُ طَعَامًا، فَقَالَ: كُلْ فَإِنِّي صَائِمٌ، قَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِآكِلٍ حَتَّى تَأْكُلَ فَأَكَلَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ اللَّيْلُ ذَهَبَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ يَقُومُ، فَقَالَ: نَمْ فَنَامَ، ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ يَقُومُ، فَقَالَ: نَمْ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ آخِرُ اللَّيْلِ، قَالَ سَلْمَانُ: قُمِ الْآنَ، قَالَ: فَصَلَّيَا، 

فَقَالَ لَهُ سَلْمَانُ: إِنَّ لِرَبِّكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلِنَفْسِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلِأَهْلِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، فَأَعْطِ كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ، فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «صَدَقَ سَلْمَانُ»

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: “O Abdullah, have I not been informed that you fast during the day and stand (in prayer) at night?” I said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Do not do that. Fast and break your fast; stand ˹in prayer˺ and sleep. For your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your guest has a right over you. It is sufficient for you to fast three days every month, for for every good deed you have ten like it, and that is like fasting for the whole lifetime.”

So I insisted, and it was made stricter for me. I said: O Messenger of Allah, I find strength ˹to do more˺. He said: “Then fast the fasting of the Prophet of Allah, Dawud ᴬˢ, and do not go beyond that.” I asekd: And what was the fasting of the Prophet of Allah, Dawud ᴬˢ? He said: “Half of the time (i.e. alternate days).” 

And Abdullah used to say after he grew old: Would that I had accepted the concession of the Prophet ﷺ.

قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ؟» فَقُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ۔ قَالَ: «فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ، صُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَقُمْ وَنَمْ، فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ»۔ 

فَشَدَّدْتُ فَشُدِّدَ عَلَىَّ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً۔ قَالَ: «فَصُمْ صِيَامَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَلاَ تَزِدْ عَلَيْهِ»، قُلْتُ: وَمَا كَانَ صِيَامُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ؟ قَالَ: «نِصْفَ الدَّهْرِ»۔ 

فَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرَ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ۔

I set out, along with Abdullah b. Yazid, to go to Abu Salamah, and we sent a messenger to him. He came out to us, and there was a small mosque at the door of his house. He said: We stayed in the mosque until he came out to us, and he said: If you wish, you may enter, and if you wish, you may sit here. We said: Rather, we will sit here—so tell us.

He said: Abdullah b. Amr b. al-As narrated to me: I used to fast continuously, and I would recite the Quran every night. Either I was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ or he sent for me, so I went to him. He said to me: “Have I not been informed that you fast continuously and recite the Quran every night?” I said: Yes, O Prophet of Allah, and I only intended good by that. He said: “It is sufficient for you to fast three days of every month.” I said: O Prophet of Allah, I am able to do better than that. He said: “Your wife has a right over you, your guest has a right over you, and your body has a right over you.” He said: “So fast the fast of Dawud, the Prophet of Allah  ﷺ , for he was the most devoted of people.” I said: O Prophet of Allah, what is the fast of Dawud? He said: “He would fast one day and break the fast the next.”

He said: “And recite the Quran every month.” I said: O Prophet of Allah, I am able to do better than that. He said: “Then recite it every twenty ˹days˺.” I said: O Prophet of Allah, I am able to do better than that. He said: “Then recite it in every ten.” I said: O Prophet of Allah, I am able to do better than that. He said: “Then recite it in every seven, and do not go beyond that—for your wife has a right over you, your guest has a right over you, and your body has a right over you.”

He said: So I made things hard on myself, and it was made hard on me. He said: And the Prophet ﷺ said to me: “You do not know, perhaps you will live a long life.” He said: So I ended up adhering to what the Prophet ﷺ had told me, and when I grew old, I wished that I had accepted the concession of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ .

انْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَعَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ حَتَّى نَأْتِيَ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِ رَسُولًا، فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا، وَإِذَا عِنْدَ بَابِ دَارِهِ مَسْجِدٌ، قَالَ: فَكُنَّا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا، فَقَالَ: إِنْ تَشَاءُوا أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا وَإِنْ تَشَاءُوا أَنْ تَقْعُدُوا هَا هُنَا، قَالَ: فَقُلْنَا: لَا بَلْ نَقْعُدُ هَا هُنَا، فَحَدِّثْنَا، 

قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ ؓ قَالَ: كُنْتُ أَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ، وَأَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ، قَالَ: فَإِمَّا ذُكِرْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَإِمَّا أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ فَأَتَيْتُهُ، فَقَالَ لِي: «أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ، وَتَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ؟»، فَقُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ وَلَمْ أُرِدْ بِذَلِكَ إِلَّا الْخَيْرَ، قَالَ: «فَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ»، قُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «فَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا»، قَالَ: «فَصُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ﷺ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ أَعْبَدَ النَّاسِ»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ وَمَا صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ؟ قَالَ: «كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا، وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»، 

قَالَ: «وَاقْرَأِ الْقُرْآنَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «فَاقْرَأْهُ فِي كُلِّ عِشْرِينَ»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «فَاقْرَأْهُ فِي كُلِّ عَشْرٍ»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «فَاقْرَأْهُ فِي كُلِّ سَبْعٍ وَلَا تَزِدْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا»، 

قَالَ: فَشَدَّدْتُ، فَشُدِّدَ عَلَيَّ. قَالَ: وَقَالَ لِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «إِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّكَ يَطُولُ بِكَ عُمْرٌ»، قَالَ: فَصِرْتُ إِلَى الَّذِي قَالَ لِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا كَبِرْتُ وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي كُنْتُ قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ﷺ.

with this chain of transmission, and he added in it after his statement “three days from every month” “for for you, for every good deed, is ten times its like; thus that is the whole lifetime.” And he said in the hadith: I said, “And what is the fast of the Prophet of Allah, Dawud?” He said, “Half of a lifetime.” And he did not mention in the hadith anything about reciting the Quran, and he did not say, “And indeed your visitor has a right over you,” but rather he said, “And indeed your child has a right over you.”

بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ وَزَادَ فِيهِ بَعْدَ قَوْلِهِ: «مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ» «فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَذَلِكَ الدَّهْرُ كُلُّهُ»، وَقَالَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ: قُلْتُ: وَمَا صَوْمُ نَبِيِّ اللهِ دَاوُدَ؟ قَالَ: «نِصْفُ الدَّهْرِ»، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِي الْحَدِيثِ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ شَيْئًا، وَلَمْ يَقُلْ: «وَإِنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا»، وَلَكِنْ قَالَ: «وَإِنَّ لِوَلَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا»

It reached the Prophet ﷺ that I fast continuously and pray 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 that you pray? So fast and break your fast; stand (in prayer) and sleep. For your eyes have a right over you, and your own self and your family have a right over you.” I said: I am strong enough for that. He said: *“Then fast the fasting of Dawud ᴬˢ.” I said: And how is that? He said: “He used to fast one day and break his fast one day, and he would not flee when he met (the enemy).” I said: Who can manage that for me, O Prophet of Allah? – Ata said: I do not know how he mentioned fasting forever – The Prophet ﷺ said: “He has not fasted who fasts forever,” twice.

بَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَنِّي أَسْرُدُ الصَّوْمَ، وَأُصَلِّي اللَّيْلَ، فَإِمَّا أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ وَإِمَّا لَقِيتُهُ، فَقَالَ: «أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ وَلَا تُفْطِرُ وَتُصَلِّي؟ فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَقُمْ وَنَمْ، فَإِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا، وَإِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ وَأَهْلِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا»، قَالَ: إِنِّي لَأَقْوَى لِذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «فَصُمْ صِيَامَ دَاوُدَ ؑ»، قَالَ: وَكَيْفَ؟ قَالَ: «كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا، وَلَا يَفِرُّ إِذَا لَاقَى»، قَالَ: مَنْ لِي بِهَذِهِ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ؟ – قَالَ عَطَاءٌ: لَا أَدْرِي كَيْفَ ذَكَرَ صِيَامَ الْأَبَدِ – قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «لَا صَامَ مَنْ صَامَ الْأَبَدَ»، مَرَّتَيْنِ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Indeed, the most beloved fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud, and the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of David ᴬˢ. He used to sleep half the night, stand ˹in prayer˺ for a third of it, and sleep a sixth of it; and he used to fast one day and break his fast the next day.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ، وَأَحَبَّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَلاَةُ دَاوُدَ ؑ، كَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ، وَكَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»۔

My father married me to a woman of noble lineage. He would regularly check on his daughter-in-law and ask her about her husband. She would say: “An excellent man he is—he has not come to our bed, nor has he looked into our private quarters since we came to him.” 

When that went on too long for him, he mentioned it to the Prophet ﷺ. He said: “Have me meet with him.” So I met him afterward, and he said: “How do you fast?” He replied: “Every day.” He said: “And how often do you complete ˹the Quran˺?” He replied: “Every night.” He said: “Fast three days each month, and recite the Qur’an once each month.” He said: I said, “I can do more than that.” He said: “Then fast three days each week.” I said, “I can do more than that.” He said: “Then break your fast for two days and fast one day.” He said: I said, “I can do more than that.” He said: “Then fast the best of fasting: the fast of Dawud: fast one day and break the fast one day, and recite it once every seven nights.”

If only I had accepted the concession of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for I grew old and became weak. He would recite to some of his family during the day the portion of the Quran for seven days, and what he recited during the day he would review during the day so that it would be lighter for him at night. And when he wanted to regain strength, he would break his fast for some days, count them, and then fast the same number, disliking to leave anything he had adhered to when he parted from the Prophet ﷺ upon it.

أَنْكَحَنِي أَبِي امْرَأَةً ذَاتَ حَسَبٍ، فَكَانَ يَتَعَاهَدُ كَنَّتَهُ فَيَسْأَلُهَا عَنْ بَعْلِهَا، فَتَقُولُ: نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ رَجُلٍ، لَمْ يَطَأْ لَنَا فِرَاشًا، وَلَمْ يُفَتِّشْ لَنَا كَنَفًا مُذْ أَتَيْنَاهُ، 

فَلَمَّا طَالَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ، ذَكَرَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فَقَالَ: «الْقَنِي بِهِ»، فَلَقِيتُهُ بَعْدُ، فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ تَصُومُ؟» قَالَ: كُلَّ يَوْمٍ، قَالَ: «وَكَيْفَ تَخْتِمُ؟» قَالَ: كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ، قَالَ: «صُمْ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةً، وَاقْرَأِ الْقُرْآنَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْجُمُعَةِ»، قُلْتُ: أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «أَفْطِرْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَصُمْ يَوْمًا»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ: «صُمْ أَفْضَلَ الصَّوْمِ، صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ، صِيَامَ يَوْمٍ وَإِفْطَارَ يَوْمٍ، وَاقْرَأْ فِي كُلِّ سَبْعِ لَيَالٍ مَرَّةً»، 

فَلَيْتَنِي قَبِلْتُ رُخْصَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ، وَذَاكَ أَنِّي كَبِرْتُ وَضَعُفْتُ، فَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى بَعْضِ أَهْلِهِ السُّبْعَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ بِالنَّهَارِ، وَالَّذِي يَقْرَؤُهُ يَعْرِضُهُ مِنَ النَّهَارِ، لِيَكُونَ أَخَفَّ عَلَيْهِ بِاللَّيْلِ، وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَقَوَّى أَفْطَرَ أَيَّامًا، وَأَحْصَى وَصَامَ مِثْلَهُنَّ، كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ شَيْئًا فَارَقَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَلَيْهِ.

– and he was from the scribes of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ – I met Abu Bakr. He said: Who are you? He said: Hanzalah is a hypocrite! He (Abu Bakr) said: Hallowed be Allah, what are you saying? Thereupon he said: I say that when we are in the company of Messenger of Allah ﷺ we ponder over Hellfire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our very eyes and when we are away from Messenger of Allah ﷺ we attend to our wives, our children, our business; most of these things slip out of our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I also experience the same.

So I and Abu Bakr went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said to him: Messenger of Allah, Hanzalah is a hypocrite. Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Why is that?" I said: Messenger of Allah, when we are in your company, we are reminded of Hellfire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but whenever we go away from you and attend to our wives, children, and business, much of these things go out of our minds. Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if your state of mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in remembrance ˹of Allah˺, the Angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths but, Hanzalah, ˹there is˺ time ˹for reminders of the Hereafter˺ and ˹there is˺ time ˹for worldly affairs˺," and he said this thrice.

– وَكَانَ مِنْ كُتَّابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ – قَالَ لَقِيَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ أَنْتَ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ: نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ! قَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ! مَا تَقُولُ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ: نَكُونُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ، فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ فَنَسِينَا كَثِيرًا۔ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَلْقَى مِثْلَ هَذَا۔

فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ: نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «وَمَا ذَاكَ؟» قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَكُونُ عِنْدَكَ تُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ نَسِينَا كَثِيرًا۔ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنْ لَوْ تَدُومُونَ عَلَى مَا تَكُونُونَ عِنْدِي وَفِي الذِّكْرِ لَصَافَحَتْكُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عَلَى فُرُشِكُمْ وَفِي طُرُقِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ سَاعَةً وَسَاعَةً» ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ۔

While the Prophet ﷺ was delivering a sermon, he saw a man standing, so he asked about that man. They (the people) said, "It is Abu Israil who has vowed that he will stand and never sit down, and he will never come in the shade, nor speak to anybody, and will fast.'' The Prophet ﷺ said, "Order him to speak and let him come in the shade, and make him sit down, but let him complete his fast."

بَيْنَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَخْطُبُ إِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ قَائِمٍ، فَسَأَلَ عَنْهُ فَقَالُوا: أَبُو إِسْرَائِيلَ نَذَرَ أَنْ يَقُومَ وَلاَ يَقْعُدَ وَلاَ يَسْتَظِلَّ وَلاَ يَتَكَلَّمَ وَيَصُومَ؟ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «مُرْهُ، فَلْيَتَكَلَّمْ وَلْيَسْتَظِلَّ وَلْيَقْعُدْ وَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ»۔