English translation
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ 6277. Narrated 'Abdullāh bin 'Amr (The news of) my observing Saum (fasting) was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ. So he entered upon me and I put for him a leather cushion stuffed with palm-fibres. The Prophet ﷺ sat on the floor and the cushion was between me and him. He said to me, "Isn't it sufficient for you (that you observe fast) three days a month?" I said, "O Allāh's Messenger! (I can observe fast more than this)." He said, "(You may observe fast) five days a month." I said, "O Allāh's Messenger! (I can observe fast more than this)." He said, "(You may observe fast) seven days." I said, "O Allāh's Messenger!" He said, "Nine." I said, "O Allāh's Messenger!" He said, "Eleven." I said, "O Allāh's Messenger! (I can observe fast more than this)." He said, "No fasting is superior to the fasting of (the Prophet) Dāwūd (David) which was half of a year, and he used, to observe fast on alternate days." [See Vol. 3, Hadīth No. 1980]