Abdullah bin 'And (bin al-As) said: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said to me: The fast most liked by Allah is the one observed by Dawud (David), and the prayer dearer to Allah is the one offered by Dawud (David): he would sleep half the night, and stand (in prayer) one-third of it, and sleep one-sixth of it. He would go without fasting one day, and fast the other day.

Narrated Abdullah bin Amr: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said to me: Keep fast for three days of month, and finish the recitation of the Quran in one month. I and he differed among ourselves on period of time. He said: Fast one day and give it up other day. The narrator Ata said: The people differed from my father (in narrating the period of time). Some narrated seven days and others five.

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.

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.