22/76. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 2388 — Best Fasting of Dawud
Fasting one day, and not fasting one day, and the difference in the wording of the transmitters Of The Narration Of 'Abdullah Bin 'Amr About It
Best Fasting in Islam: The Fast of Dawud
Sunan an-Nasai : 2388
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 2388
قَالَ وَفِيمَا قَرَأَ عَلَيْنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا حُصَيْنٌ، وَمُغِيرَةُ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا " .
'Abdullah bin 'Amr Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: "The best of fasting is the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him. He used to fast for one day and break his fast for one day."' 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 2388In-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 299English translation : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2390
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 2388
This hadith directly states that the best of fasting is the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him. It then explains what that means: he used to fast one day and break his fast one day. The wording is simple and complete. It does not praise fasting without a break. It praises a pattern that includes worship and rest. For people searching for the best voluntary fasting in Islam, this narration gives the main answer from the text itself. The Fast of Dawud is not described here as fasting every day, but as alternating days. This makes the hadith easy to remember and easy to apply for someone who is able to follow that pattern.
What we learn from this hadith
- The best fasting in this narration is the fast of Dawud.
- The Fast of Dawud means fasting one day and breaking the next.
- The praised pattern includes both fasting and not fasting.
- Voluntary fasting should follow the form taught in the hadith.
