Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ أَخْبَرَنِي الْجُرَيْرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ مُطَرِّفِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مُرْنِي بِصِيَامٍ قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَلَكَ أَجْرُ تِسْعَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً فَزِدْنِي قَالَ صُمْ يَوْمَيْنِ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ ثَمَانِيَةِ أَيَّامٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجِدُ قُوَّةً فَزِدْنِي قَالَ فَصُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَكَ أَجْرُ سَبْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ قَالَ فَمَا زَالَ يَحُطُّ لِي حَتَّى قَالَ إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمُ أَخِي دَاوُدَ أَوْ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ شَكَّ الْجُرَيْرِيُّ صُمْ يَوْمًا وَأَفْطِرْ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ لَمَّا ضَعُفَ لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ قَنَعْتُ بِمَا أَمَرَنِي بِهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
English Translation
Abd al-Wahhab ibn Ata narrated to us: al-Jurayri informed me from Abu al-Ala from Mutarrif ibn Abdullah from Abdullah ibn Amr who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, prescribe a fasting for me." He said: "Fast one day and you will have the reward of the rest." I said: "I am able to do more than that." He said: "Fast two days and break your fast one day." I said: "I am able to do more than that." He said: "Fast three days and break your fast one day." I said: "I am able to do more than that." He said: "Fast four days and break your fast one day." I said: "I am able to do more than that." He said: "Then take on the best of fasting - the fast of Dawud (David) - fast one day and break your fast one day."