I used to fast every day and recite the entire Quran every night. Either someone mentioned this to the Prophet ﷺ, or he sent for me, so I came to him.He said to me, "Have I not been informed that you fast every day and recite the Quran every night?"I said, "Yes, Prophet of Allah, but I intended only good by it."He said, "It is enough for you to fast three days of every month."I said, "Prophet of Allah, I am capable of more than that."He said, "Your wife has a right over you, your guest has a right over you, and your body has a right over you. Fast the fast of Dawud, the prophet of Allah ﷺ, for he was the most devoted of people in worship."I said, "Prophet of Allah, what was the fast of Dawud?"He said, "He would fast one day and break his fast the next. And recite the Quran once every month."I said, "Prophet of Allah, I am capable of more than that."He said, "Then recite it every twenty days."I said, "Prophet of Allah, I am capable of more than that."He said, "Then recite it every ten days."I said, "Prophet of Allah, I am capable of more than that."He said, "Then recite it every seven days, and do not exceed that, for your wife has a right over you, your guest has a right over you, and your body has a right over you."So I was strict with myself, and he was strict with me. The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "You do not know, perhaps your life will be long."So I came to what the Prophet ﷺ had told me. When I grew old, I wished I had accepted the concession of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ.
كنت أصوم الدهر وأقرأ القرآن كل ليلة، قال: فإما ذكرت للنبي ﷺ، وإما أرسل إلي فأتيته، فقال لي: ألم أخبر أنك تصوم الدهر وتقرأ القرآن كل ليلة؟ فقلت: بلى يا نبي الله، ولم أرد بذلك إلا الخير، قال: فإن بحسبك أن تصوم من كل شهر ثلاثة أيام. قلت: يا نبي الله، إني أطيق أفضل من ذلك، قال: فإن لزوجك عليك حقا، ولزورك عليك حقا، ولجسدك عليك حقا. قال: فصم صوم داود نبي الله ﷺ فإنه كان أعبد الناس. قال: قلت: يا نبي الله وما صوم داود؟ قال: كان يصوم يوما ويفطر يوما. قال: واقرأ القرآن في كل شهر. قال: قلت: يا نبي الله، إني أطيق أفضل من ذلك، قال: فاقرأه في كل عشرين. قال: قلت: يا نبي الله، إني أطيق أفضل من ذلك، قال: فاقرأه في كل عشر. قال: قلت: يا نبي الله، إني أطيق أفضل من ذلك، قال: فاقرأه في كل سبع، ولا تزد على ذلك، فإن لزوجك عليك حقا، ولزورك عليك حقا، ولجسدك عليك حقا. قال: فشددت، فشدد علي، قال: وقال لي النبي ﷺ: إنك لا تدري لعلك يطول بك عمر. قال: فصرت إلى الذي قال لي النبي ﷺ، فلما كبرت وددت أني كنت قبلت رخصة نبي الله ﷺ.
Bukhari narrated it in the Book of Fasting (1975), and Muslim in the Book of Fasting (128:1159), both through Yahya bin Abu Kathir, who said, "Abu Salama bin Abdul-Rahman narrated to me, saying, Abdullah bin Amr bin As narrated to me," and he related it. The wording given is Muslim's, and Bukhari's wording is similar.