Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ رُشَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ سِيرِينَ قَالَ أَتَيْنَا أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ فِي يَوْمِ خَمِيسٍ فَدَعَا بِمَائِدَتِهِ فَدَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ فَتَغَدَّى بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ وَأَمْسَكَ بَعْضٌ ثُمَّ أَتَوْهُ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ فَفَعَلَ مِثْلَهَا فَدَعَا بِمَائِدَتِهِ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ فَأَكَلَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ وَأَمْسَكَ بَعْضٌ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ لَعَلَّكُمْ اثْنَانِيُّونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ خَمِيسِيُّونَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ فَلَا يُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ مَا فِي نَفْسِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُفْطِرَ الْعَامَ ثُمَّ يُفْطِرُ فَلَا يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ أَنْ يَصُومَ الْعَامَ وَكَانَ أَحَبُّ الصَّوْمِ إِلَيْهِ فِي شَعْبَانَ.
English Translation
Yunus told us, ‘Uthman ibn Rushayd told us, he said: Anas ibn Sirin told me, he said: We came to Anas ibn Malik on a Thursday, and he called for his table and invited them to the midday meal. Some of the people ate, and some abstained. Then they came to him on a Monday, and he did likewise - he called for his table and invited them to the meal, and some of the people ate and some abstained. Anas ibn Malik said to them, "Perhaps you are Monday-people, perhaps you are Thursday-people? The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to fast so much that we would say he would not break his fast, then he would break his fast so much that we would say he would not fast. And the most beloved fasting to him was in Sha’ban."