Sahih Muslim Book - 13, Hadith - 2746

وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِىُّ وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ حَمَّادٍ - قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ - عَنْ غَيْلاَنَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ الزِّمَّانِىِّ عَنْ أَبِى قَتَادَةَ رَجُلٌ أَتَى النَّبِىَّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَلَمَّا رَأَى عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - غَضَبَهُ قَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ وَغَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ. فَجَعَلَ عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - يُرَدِّدُ هَذَا الْكَلاَمَ حَتَّى سَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ قَالَ « لاَ صَامَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَ - أَوْ قَالَ - لَمْ يَصُمْ وَلَمْ يُفْطِرْ ». قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ « وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ ». قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ « ذَاكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ». قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ « وَدِدْتُ أَنِّى طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ ». ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « ثَلاَثٌ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ فَهَذَا صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِى قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِى بَعْدَهُ وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِى قَبْلَهُ ».

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that a man came to the Prophet (SAW) and said: “How do you fast?” The Messenger of Allah (SAW) got angry at his words, and when ‘Umar [may Allah be pleased with them] saw that he was angry, he said: “We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion and with Muhammad as our Prophet; we seek refuge with Allah from the wrath of Allah and the wrath of His Messenger.” ‘Umar [may Allah be pleased with them] started repeating these words until his anger went away, then ‘Umar said: “O Messenger of Allah, what about one who fast all the time?” He said: “He has neither fasted nor broken the fast.” ‘Umar said: “What about one who fasts for two days, then break his fast for one day?” He (‘Umar) said: “Is any one able to do that?” He said: “what about one who fasts one day and break his fast for one day?” He said: “That is the fast of Dawud.” He (‘Umar) said: “What about one who fasts one day and break his fast for two days?” He said: “I wish that I were able to do that.” Then the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Three days of each month and one Ramadan to the next, that is like fasting for an entire lifetime. Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, I ask Allah that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that comes before it, and the year that comes after it. And fasting the Day of Ashura, I ask Allah that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that comes before it.”