Narrated Al-Laith: When it was mentioned to Ibn Shihab (al-Zuhri) that fasting on Saturday had been prohibited, he would say: This is a Himsi tradition.

Al-Auzai said: I always concealed it, but I found that it became known widely, that is, the tradition on Ibn Busr about fasting on Saturday. Abu Dawud said: Malik said: This is a false (tradition).

Narrated Abu Qatadah: A man came to the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said: How do you fast, Messenger of Allah? The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم became angry at what he said. When Umar observed this (his anger), he said: We are satisfied with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet. We seek refuge in Allah from the anger of Allah, and from the anger of His Messenger. Umar continued to repeat these words till his anger cooled down. He then asked: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who observes a perpetual fast? He replied: May he not fast or break his fast. Musaddad said in his version: He has neither fasted nor broken his fast. The narrator, Ghaylan, doubted the actual wordings. He asked: What is the position of one who fasts two days and does not fast one day? He said: Is anyone able to do that? He asked: What is the position of one who fasts every second day (i. e. fasts one day and does not fasts the next day)? He (the Prophet) said: This is the fast that David observed. He asked: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who fasts one day and breaks it for two days? He replied: I wish I were given the power to observe that. Then the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: The observance of three days' fast every month and of one Ramadan to the other (i. e. the fast of Ramadan every year) is (equivalent to) a perpetual fast. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming year, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura' may atone for the sins of the preceding year.

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Abu Qatadah through a different chain of narrators. This version add: He said: Messenger of Allah, tell me about keeping fast on Monday and Thursday. He said: On it I was born, and on it the Quran was first revealed to me.

Narrated Adb Allah bin Amr bin al-As: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم met me and said: Have I not been informed that you told: I shall stand at prayer all the night, and I shall fast during the day ? He said: I think so. Yes, Messenger of Allah, I have said this. He said: Get up and pray at night and sleep ; fast and break your fast ; fast three days every month: that is equivalent to keeping perpetual fast. I said: Messenger of Allah, I have more power than that. He said: Then fast one day and break your fast one day. That is the most moderate fast ; that is the fast of Dawud (David). He said: I have more power than that. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: There is no fast more excellent that it.

Narrated Abdullah ibn al-Harith ; or Uncle of Mujibah al-Bahiliyyah: The father or Uncle of Mujibah al-Bahiliyyah visited the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم . He then went away and came to him (again) after one year when his condition and appearance had changed. He said: Messenger of Allah, do you not recognize me? He asked: Who are you? He replied: I am al-Bahili who came to you last year. He said: What has changed you? You were looking well, then you were good in appearance? He said: I have only food at night since I departed from you. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Why did you torment yourself? Fast during Ramadan (the month of patience) and fast for one day every month. He said: Increase it for me, for I have (more) strength. He said: Fast two days. He again said: Increase it for me. He said: Fast three days. He again said: Increase it for me. He said: Fast during the inviolable months and then stop; fast during the inviolable months and then stop; fast during the inviolable months and then stop. He indicated by his three fingers, and joined them and then opened them.

Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم as saying: The most excellent fast after Ramadan is Allah's month al-Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after the prescribed prayer is the prayer during night.

Narrated Uthman bin Hakim: I asked Saeed bin Jubair about fasting during Rajab. He said: Ibn Abbas told me that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to fast to such an extent that we thought that he would never break his fast ; and he would go without fasting to such and extent that he would never fast.

Narrated Aishah, Ummul Muminin: The month most liked by the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم for fasting was Sha'ban. He then joined it with Ramadan.

Narrated Muslim al-Qurashi: I asked or someone asked the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم about perpetual fasting. He replied: You have a duty to your family. Fast during Ramadan and the following month, and every Wednesday and Thursday. You will then have observed a perpetual fast.