Sadaqa Damashqi says that a man came to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked about fasting. He said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The most virtuous fasts are those of my brother Dawood (peace be upon him); he would fast one day and leave it the next day.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The fasts of Dawud (peace be upon him) are the most beloved to Allah Almighty, and likewise, his night prayer is the most preferred by Allah Almighty. He would sleep for half the night, then stand in prayer for one third of the night, and then sleep for one sixth of the night. As for fasting, he would fast one day and leave it the next day.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: I have been informed that you stand in prayer all night and fast every day. I said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fast sometimes and leave fasting sometimes, and stand in prayer at night and also sleep, because your body has a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your guest has a right over you. Fast three days in a month; that is sufficient for you. But I was strict, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was also strict with me. I said: O Messenger of Allah! I have the strength for more than that. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then fast three days every week. But I was strict, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was also strict with me, and I said: O Messenger of Allah! I have the strength to fast more than that. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then fast like the Prophet of Allah, Dawud (peace be upon him), and do not exceed that. I said: O Messenger of Allah! How did Dawud (peace be upon him) fast? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He would fast one day and leave fasting the next day.

Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: I presented myself before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Command me regarding fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fast one day, and you will receive the reward of an additional nine days (because the reward of every good deed is tenfold). I said: O Messenger of Allah! I have the strength for more than this, so grant me permission to fast more. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fast two days, and you will receive the reward of an additional eight days. But I again said: O Messenger of Allah! I have the strength for more than this, so grant me permission for more fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fast three days, and you will receive the reward of an additional seven days. But with my repeated requests, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept allowing for more action (and reducing the reward), until the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The best fasts are those of my brother Dawud (peace be upon him), and that is to fast one day and leave one day. When Sayyiduna Abdullah became old, he used to say: I wish I had sufficed with the first command of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

(Second chain) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, ... narrated in the same manner as the previous hadith ... , further in this it is mentioned: Sayyiduna Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, continued to fast in this way until he became old and weak, at that time he used to say: If I had accepted the concession given by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, it would have been more beloved to me than my family, wealth, and property.