Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَسْوَدُ بْنُ شَيْبَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا نَوْفَلِ بْنَ أَبِي عَقْرَبٍ يَقُولُ سَأَلَ أَبِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ الصَّوْمِ فَقَالَ صُمْ يَوْمًا مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي وَأُمِّي زِدْنِي قَالَ يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ زِدْنِي زِدْنِي صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي وَأُمِّي زِدْنِي فَإِنِّي أَجِدُنِي قَوِيًّا قَالَ يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنِّي أَجِدُنِي قَوِيًّا إِنِّي أَجِدُنِي قَوِيًّا إِنِّي أَجِدُنِي قَوِيًّا قَالَ فَأَلْحَمَ أَيْ أَمْسَكَ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَزِيدَنِي قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ.
English Translation
'Affan told us, al-Aswad ibn Shayban told us, he said: I heard Abu Nawfal ibn Abi 'Aqrab say: My father asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about fasting, and he said, "Fast one day of every month." He said, "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, give me more." He said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would say, "More? More? Fast two days of every month." He said, "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, give me more, for I find myself strong." He said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would say, "I find myself strong, I find myself strong, I find myself strong." He said: So he held back, meaning he refrained, until I thought he would not increase it for me. He said: Then he said, "Fast three days of every month."