Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ حُصَيْنٍ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو أَنَّهُ تَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَكَانَ لَا يَأْتِيهَا كَانَ يَشْغَلُهُ الصَّوْمُ وَالصَّلَاةُ فَذُكِرَ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ صُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَمَا زَالَ بِهِ حَتَّى قَالَ لَهُ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا وَقَالَ لَهُ اقْرَإِ الْقُرْآنَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ اقْرَأْهُ فِي كُلِّ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُطِيقُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ اقْرَأْهُ فِي كُلِّ سَبْعٍ حَتَّى قَالَ اقْرَأْ فِي كُلِّ ثَلَاثٍ وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ عَمَلٍ شِرَّةً وَلِكُلِّ شِرَّةٍ فَتْرَةٌ فَمَنْ كَانَتْ شِرَّتُهُ إِلَى سُنَّتِي فَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فَتْرَتُهُ إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ هَلَكَ.
English Translation
Muhammad ibn Ja'far narrated to us: Shu'bah narrated from Husayn from Mujahid from Abdullah ibn Amr that he married a woman from Quraysh, but he would not go to her because he was occupied with fasting and prayer. This was mentioned to the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: "Fast three days of every month." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He kept asking until he said to him: "Fast one day and break your fast one day." He also said to him: "Read the Quran in every month." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He said: "Read it in every fifteen days." He said: "I am able to do more than that." He said: "Read it in every seven days," until he said: "Read it in every three days." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Every deed has a period of enthusiasm, and every period of enthusiasm has a period of slackening. Whoever's period of enthusiasm is directed toward my Sunnah has succeeded, and whoever's period of slackening leads to other than that has perished."