'Abdullah bin 'Amr (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as saying: With Allah the best fasting is that of David and the best prayer is that of David (peace be upon him) for he slept half of the night and stood for prayer for the third of it and (then) slept the sixth part of it and he observed fast one day and broke on the other.

'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin al-'As reported Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as saying: The best fasting in the eye of Allah is that of David, for he fasted for half of the age (he fasted on alternate days), and the best prayer in the eye of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, is that of David (peace be upon him), for he slept for half of the night and then stood for prayer and then again slept. He prayed for one-third of the night after midnight. He (the narrator) said: I asked 'Amr bin Dinar whether 'Amr bin Aus said that he stood for prayer one-third of the night after midnight. He said: Yes.

Abu Qatadah (RA) reported that Abu al Malih informed me: I went along with your father to 'Abdullah bin 'Amr (RA), and he narrated to us that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was informed about my fasting and he came to me, and I placed a leather cushion filled with fibre of date-palms for him. He sat down upon the ground and there was that cushion between me and him, and he said to me: Does three days' fasting in a month not suffice you? I said: Messenger of Allah, (I am capable of observing more fasts). He said: (Would) five (not suffice for you)? I said: Messenger of Allah, (I am capable of observing more fasts) He said: (Would) seven (fasts) not suffice you? I said: Messenger of Allah, (I am capable of observing more fasts). He (the Holy Prophet) then said: (Would) nine (fasts not suffice you)? I said: Messenger of Allah, (I am capable of observing more fasts). He said: (Would) eleven (fasts not suffice you)? I said: Messenger of Allah, (I am capable of observing more fasts than these). Thereupon the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: There is no fasting (better than) the fasting of David which comprises half of the age, fasting a day and not fasting a day.

'Abdullah bin 'Amr (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) had said to him: Observe fast for a day and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He then said: Observe fast for two days, and there would be reward for you for the rest (of the days). He said: I am capable of doing more than this. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe fast for three days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this, whereupon he said: Observe fast for four days and there would be reward for you for the rest of the days. He said: I am capable of doing more than this. Thereupon he said: Then observe fast (which is the) best in the eye of Allah, the fast of David (peace be upon him); he used to observe fast one day and break on the other day.

'Abdullah bin 'Amr (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said to me! 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, it has been conveyed to me that you observe fast during the day and stand in prayer during the whole night. Don't do that, for your body has a share of its own in you, your eye has a share of its own in you, your wife has a share of her own in you. Observe fast and break it too. Fast for three days in every month and that is a perpetual fasting. I said! Messenger of Allah, I have got strength enough (to do more than this), whereupon he said: Then observe the fast of David (peace be upon him). Observe fast one day and break it (on the other) day. And he ('Abdullah bin 'Amr) used to say: Would that I had availed myself of this concession.