Fath al-Rabbani

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about his fasting. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, with Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as our Messenger, and with the truth of our pledge. Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) or another man stood up and said: O Messenger of Allah! What about a man who fasts every day? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He neither fasts nor breaks his fast. He asked: What about fasting two days and leaving one day? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Who has the strength for that? If only Allah would grant us such strength. He asked: What about fasting one day and leaving one day? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That was the fast of my brother Dawud (peace be upon him). He asked: What about fasting on Mondays and Thursdays? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: On that day I was born and on that day the Qur’an began to be revealed to me. He asked: What about fasting three days every month and the fasts of Ramadan? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That is also perpetual fasting and perpetual breaking of the fast. He asked: What about fasting on the day of Arafah? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This fast is an expiation for the sins of the previous and coming two years. He asked: What about fasting on the day of Ashura (the tenth of Muharram)? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This fast is an expiation for the sins of the previous year.