وَعَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ قَوْله. فَلَمَّا رأى عمر رَضِي الله عَنْهُم غَضَبَهُ قَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ وَغَضب رَسُوله فَجعل عمر رَضِي الله عَنْهُم يُرَدِّدُ هَذَا الْكَلَامَ حَتَّى سَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ فَقَالَ عمر يَا رَسُول الله كَيفَ بِمن يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ قَالَ: «لَا صَامَ وَلَا أَفْطَرَ» . أَوْ قَالَ: «لَمْ يَصُمْ وَلَمْ يُفْطِرْ» . قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ: «وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ» . قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُوم يَوْمًا وَيفْطر يَوْمًا قَالَ: «ذَاك صَوْم دَاوُد عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام» قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ: «وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ» . ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «ثَلَاث مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ فَهَذَا صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Abu Qatada said that when a man came to the Prophet and asked him how he fasted, he was angry at what he said, and when 'Umar observed his anger he said, “We are satisfied with God as Lord, with Islam as religion and with Muhammad as Prophet. We seek refuge in God from the anger of God and His messenger.” ‘Umar kept on repeating these words till his anger calmed down, then asked, “Messenger of God, what is the position of one who observes a perpetual fast?” He replied, “May he not fast or break his fast!” or he said, “He has neither fasted nor broken his fast.” He asked, “What is the position of one who fasts two days out of every three?” and received the reply, “Is anyone able to do that?” He asked what was the position of one who fasted every second day and was told that was the fast David observed. He asked what was the position of one who fasted one day out of every three, and God’s messenger replied, “I wish I were given power to observe that.” Thereafter he said, “The observance of three days’ fast every month and of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fast. I seek from God that fasting on the day of ‘Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming year, and I seek from God that fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ may atone for the sins of the preceding year.” Muslim transmitted it.