English translation
3418. Narrated 'Abdullāh bin 'Amr رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: Allāh's Messenger ﷺ was informed that I have said: "By Allāh, I will observe Ṣaum (fast) all the days and offer Ṣalāt (prayers) all the nights as long as I live." On that, Allāh's Messenger ﷺ asked me: "Are you the one who says: 'I will observe Ṣaum (fast) all the days and offer Ṣalāt (prayer) all the nights as long as I live?'" I said, "Yes, I have said it." He said, "You cannot do that. So, observe Ṣaum (fast) and do not fast (for a period). Offer Ṣalāt (prayer) and sleep. Observe Ṣaum (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 Allāh's Messenger! I can do more than this." He said, "Observe Ṣaum (fast) on every third day. I said, "I can do more than that." He said, "Fast on alternate days and this was the fasting of Dāwud (David) which is the best sort of observing fast." I said, "O Allāh's Messenger! I can do more than that." He said, "There is nothing better than that."
