22/76. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 2390 — Pray, Sleep, Fast, and Break
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
Pray and Sleep, Fast and Break: A Hadith on Moderation
Sunan an-Nasai : 2390
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 2390
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو حَصِينٍ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُونُسَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْثَرٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُصَيْنٌ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ زَوَّجَنِي أَبِي امْرَأَةً فَجَاءَ يَزُورُهَا فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَرَيْنَ بَعْلَكِ فَقَالَتْ نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ رَجُلٍ لاَ يَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ وَلاَ يُفْطِرُ النَّهَارَ . فَوَقَعَ بِي وَقَالَ زَوَّجْتُكَ امْرَأَةً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَعَضَلْتَهَا . قَالَ فَجَعَلْتُ لاَ أَلْتَفِتُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ مِمَّا أَرَى عِنْدِي مِنَ الْقُوَّةِ وَالاِجْتِهَادِ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " لَكِنِّي أَنَا أَقُومُ وَأَنَامُ وَأَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ فَقُمْ وَنَمْ وَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ " . قَالَ " صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ " . فَقُلْتُ أَنَا أَقْوَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ . قَالَ " صُمْ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا " . قُلْتُ أَنَا أَقْوَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ . قَالَ " اقْرَإِ الْقُرْآنَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ " . ثُمَّ انْتَهَى إِلَى خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَنَا أَقُولُ أَنَا أَقْوَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ .
'Abdullah bin 'Amr Narrated from:
My father got me married to a woman and he came to visit her and said: 'What do you think of your husband?' She said: 'What a wonderful man he is. He does not sleep at night and he does not break his fast during the day.' He got upset with me and said: 'I got you married to a woman from among the Muslims and you have neglected her.' I did not pay attention to what he said because of my energy and love of worship.News of that reached the Prophet and he said: 'But I stand (in prayer) and I sleep, I fast and I break my fast. So stand (in prayer) and sleep, fast and break your fast.' He said: 'Fast three days of every month.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Observe the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him: fast one day and break your fast one day.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Read the Quran (once) every month.' Then it ended up being every fifteen days, and I still said: 'I am able to do more than that.''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 2390In-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 301English translation : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2392
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 2390
This hadith on moderation shows Abdullah bin Amr’s strong love of worship. His wife described him as someone who did not sleep at night and did not break his fast during the day. His father became upset because she had been neglected. When news reached the Prophet, he said that he himself stands in prayer and sleeps, fasts and breaks his fast. Then he told Abdullah to stand and sleep, fast and break the fast. The Prophet also advised fasting three days each month, then mentioned the Fast of Dawud: fast one day and break one day. He also guided him in reading the Quran. The hadith teaches that worship should be steady and human, not harmful or neglectful.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet’s own way included prayer and sleep, fasting and breaking fast.
- Strong worship should not cause neglect of a spouse.
- Three days of fasting each month is offered as a guided practice.
- The Fast of Dawud is given as a higher balanced pattern.
