Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … The second chain contains the complete hadith: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) visited the house of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (radi Allahu anhu) and asked him: “I have been informed about you that you stand (in prayer) at night and fast during the day.” He replied: Yes. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is sufficient for you to fast three days in a month, since the reward of one good deed is multiplied tenfold, so it is as if you have fasted for the entire time.” He said: But I imposed hardship upon myself, and you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also imposed hardship upon me. I said: I have more strength. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Then it will suffice you to fast three days in every week.” But I persisted further, and you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also persisted with me. I said: I have the strength for more than that. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The best fasts with Allah are the fasts of Dawud (alayhis salam), that is, fasting half the time.” Then the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Your self has a right over you, and your family has a right over you.” In any case, Sayyiduna Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) continued to keep these fasts, but when he became elderly and weak, he used to say: If I had accepted the concession of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), it would have been better for me than my family and wealth. This reason seems better: that by fasting every other day, there will be abundance in fasting, and this abundance is exactly what is desired, and there will not be excessive hardship or weakness, because by leaving a gap between fasts, the weakness caused by fasting will be alleviated, and other rights will also not be affected. (Abdullah Rafiq)