Fasting For Two-Thirds Of One's Lifetime
Darussalam · Volume 3
22. The Book Of FastingSunan an-Nasai Darussalam English translation
الحديث: 2385 ¦ الجزء: 4 ¦ الصفحة: 208
Source no. 2385 · Volume 6 · Page 29
Sahih
صحيح، التعليق الرغيب (٢ / ٨٣)
Source no. 2249 · Volume 2 · Page 501
Sahih
(صحيح) - التعليق الرغيب ٢/ ٨٣.
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2387. It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shuraḥbil that a man from among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ said: "It was said to the Prophet ﷺ that a man fasted for the rest of his life. He said: 'I wish that he had never eaten.' They said: 'Two-thirds (of a lifetime)?' He said: 'That is too much.' They said: 'Half?' He said: 'That is too much.' Then he said: 'Shall I not tell you of that which will take away impurity from the heart? Fasting three days each month.' (Sahih)
2385 - أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي عَمَّارٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: قِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: رَجُلٌ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ، قَالَ: «وَدِدْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَطْعَمِ الدَّهْرَ»، قَالُوا: فَثُلُثَيْهِ، قَالَ: «أَكْثَرَ»، قَالُوا: فَنِصْفَهُ، قَالَ: «أَكْثَرَ»، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَا يُذْهِبُ وَحَرَ الصَّدْرِ؟ صَوْمُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ»
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"I wished that he had never eaten": This is an imprecation uttered by the Prophet ﷺ. Why did he do like this? Instead, it would have been better if he had not ever eaten anything at all, and died sooner. The literal meaning of the phrase is not meant, chiding or admonition is the objective; that fasting perpetually is forbidden.