It was narrated that Abu Qatadah said:
"Umar bin Khattab said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What about a person who fasts two days and does not fast one day?’ He said: ‘Is anyone able to do that?’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What about a person who fasts one day and not the next?’ He said: ‘That is the fast of Dawud.’ He said: ‘What about a man who fasts one day and does not fast the next two days?’ He said: ‘I wish that I were given the ability to do that.’"
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غَيْلاَنُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ الزِّمَّانِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ: " وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ " . قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا؟ قَالَ: " ذَلِكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ " . قَالَ: كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ؟ قَالَ: " وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ " .
