Sahih Ibn Hibban 352

Translation

✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was told that he said—meaning himself—’I will certainly stand in prayer at night and fast during the day as long as I live.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Are you the one who says that?” I said to him, “I have said it, O Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “You will not be able to do that. Fast and break your fast, sleep and stand in prayer, and fast three days of the month, for a good deed is multiplied tenfold, and that is like fasting a lifetime.” He said, “I said, ‘I can do better than that.’” He said, “Fast one day and break your fast for two days.” He said, “I said, ‘I can do better than that.’” He said, “Fast one day and break your fast for one day. That is the fast of Dawud, and it is the most moderate fast.” He said, “I said, ‘I can do better than that.’” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There is nothing better than that.” ‘Abdullah said, “If I had accepted the three days that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned, that would have been dearer to me than my family and my wealth.”

Grades by grader