سنن نسائي
Nasai
كتاب الصيامThe Book of Fasting
بَابُ : صَوْمِ ثُلُثَىِ الدَّهْرِ وَذِكْرِ اخْتِلاَفِ النَّاقِلِينَ لِلْخَبَرِ فِي ذَلِكَChapter: Fasting for two thirds of one's lifetime
Hadith 2387
اُردوEn
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ ، عَنْ أَبِي عَمَّارٍ ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : قِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : رَجُلٌ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ , قَالَ : " وَدِدْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَطْعَمِ الدَّهْرَ " ، قَالُوا : فَثُلُثَيْهِ ، قَالَ : " أَكْثَرَ " ، قَالُوا : فَنِصْفَهُ ، قَالَ : " أَكْثَرَ " ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : " أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَا يُذْهِبُ وَحَرَ الصَّدْرِ صَوْمُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ " .
´It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shurahbil that a man from among the Companions of the Prophet said:` 'It was said to the Prophet that a man fasted for the rest of his life. He said: 'I wish that he had never eaten.' They said: 'Two-thirds (of a lifetime)?' He said: 'That is too much.' Then he said: 'Shall I not tell you of that which will take away impurity from the heart? Fasting three days each month." 'Ata said: "someone who heard him told me that Ibn 'Umar (said) that the Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts every day of his life, then he has not fasted."
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
(1) "If only he had never eaten." This is an expression of displeasure: why did he do such a thing? This is tantamount to courting death. It would have been better if he had never eaten at all and died quickly. The apparent words are not intended; rather, the purpose is only to scold, indicating that it is forbidden to fast continuously without break.
(2) "That is too much." That is, even fasting for two-thirds (i.e., twenty) days of the month is not preferable, as this exceeds the fasting of Dawud (alayhis salam). Although it is permissible, it is still not the most virtuous.
(3) "This too is too much." Because this is the highest level of voluntary (nafl) fasting, although it is not prohibited. However, since that person was already fasting excessively, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not consider even this suitable for him, so that his extremism would come to an end.
(4) Fasting three days in a month is best, because it fulfills the purpose of fasting well: the heart is reformed, there is no disruption in fulfilling the rights of others (huquq al-‘ibad), and a person is also protected from physical weakness. Moreover, the reward for three is equal to thirty, i.e., the whole month, therefore acting upon this is superior.
(2) "That is too much." That is, even fasting for two-thirds (i.e., twenty) days of the month is not preferable, as this exceeds the fasting of Dawud (alayhis salam). Although it is permissible, it is still not the most virtuous.
(3) "This too is too much." Because this is the highest level of voluntary (nafl) fasting, although it is not prohibited. However, since that person was already fasting excessively, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not consider even this suitable for him, so that his extremism would come to an end.
(4) Fasting three days in a month is best, because it fulfills the purpose of fasting well: the heart is reformed, there is no disruption in fulfilling the rights of others (huquq al-‘ibad), and a person is also protected from physical weakness. Moreover, the reward for three is equal to thirty, i.e., the whole month, therefore acting upon this is superior.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 2387
