Mishkat al-Masabih — Hadith #49228

On the authority of Abu Qatada: A man came to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and said, “How do you fast?” The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, became angry at what he said. When Omar, may God be pleased with them, saw his anger, he said: We are satisfied with God as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, and with Muhammad as our Prophet. We seek refuge in God from God became angry and His Messenger became angry, so Omar, may God be pleased with them, started repeating these words until his anger subsided, and Omar said, O Messenger of God, how about one who fasts all the time? He said: “He neither fasts nor breaks his fast.” Or he said: “He did not fast or break his fast.” He said: How can someone who fasts for two days and breaks his fast one day? He said: “And anyone can tolerate that.” He said: How can someone who fasts one day and breaks his fast one day? He said: “That is the fast of David, peace be upon him.” He said: How can someone who fasts one day and breaks his fast two days? He said: “I wish “I surrounded that.” Then the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “Three days of every month, from Ramadan to Ramadan, this is fasting for a lifetime.” All of this is fasting on the day of Arafat, I hope that God will atone for the year before it and the year after it, and fasting on the day of Ashura, I hope for May God atone for the year that came before it.” Narrated by Muslim