"Your Body Has a Right Over You"

'Abdullah was so devoted that he resolved to fast every day and to pray all night. When the Prophet ﷺ heard of it, he came to him and said, "Your eyes have a right over you, your body has a right over you, your family has a right over you. Fast, and break your fast; pray, and sleep." He advised him to fast three days of each month.

'Abdullah pressed for more, and each time the Prophet ﷺ raised the allowance only a little, until he settled on the fast of Dawud: one day fasting and one day not, which the Prophet ﷺ called the best fasting (Sahih al-Bukhari 1975; Sahih Muslim 1159). He also told 'Abdullah not to be like so-and-so who used to pray at night and then gave it up (Sahih al-Bukhari 1152).

'Abdullah later grew old and weak and wished he had accepted the lighter concession. He kept up what he had committed to, as the Prophet ﷺ's own practice was to do deeds consistently, and would sometimes say that he wished he had taken the easier allowance.