22/80. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 2403 — Best Voluntary Fasting
Fasting Four Days of the Month
Best Voluntary Fasting: The Prophetic Guidance to Abdullah bin Amr
Sunan an-Nasai : 2403
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 2403
أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عِيَاضٍ، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " صُمْ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ " . قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ . قَالَ " فَصُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ " . قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ . قَالَ " فَصُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ " . قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ . قَالَ " صُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ مَا بَقِيَ " . قُلْتُ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَفْضَلُ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا " .
'Abdullah bin 'Amr Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Fast one day of the month and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast two days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast three days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: 'I am able to do more than that.' He said: 'Fast four days and you will have the reward of what is left.' I said: ' I am able to do more than that.' The messenger of Allah said: 'The best fasting is the fast of Dawud; he used to fast one day and not the next.'2406. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: "My beloved Prophet advised me to do three things which I will never give up, if Allah wills. He advised me to pray Duha to pray Witr before sleeping, and to fast three days of each month."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 2403In-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 314English translation : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2405
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 2403
This hadith about best voluntary fasting shows how the Prophet guided Abdullah bin Amr with care. He first told him to fast one day of the month and said he would have the reward of what was left. Abdullah said he was able to do more, so the Prophet increased it to two days, then three days, then four days. When Abdullah still wanted more, the Messenger of Allah said that the best fasting is the fast of Dawud. The hadith explains that Dawud used to fast one day and break the fast the next day. The message is simple: steady worship is valued, and the highest pattern mentioned here still includes rest.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet guided voluntary fasting in measured steps.
- A person may want to do more worship, but the Sunnah gives a balanced path.
- The fast of Dawud is described as the best fasting in this text.
- Fasting one day and not the next keeps worship strong without continual fasting.
