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Prophet Dawud's (AS) fasting is termed as Alternate Day fasting. I've been following daily fasts but now switching to Alternate Day Fasting Protocol since Muhammad SAW called it the best way (Reference).

The first day is clear, it's the second day which is confusing.

Day 1 - Fast for 24 hours (No food, no water, clear)

Day 2 Questions

Water: I assume I can drink water throughout the day.

Frequency: Eat 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) or one meal a day (aka OMAD)

If Frequency is OMAD then options are

Option A) Eat at the 01th hour

Option B) Eat at sunset

Option C) Eat at 23rd hour

I'm looking for the Precise Protocol followed by Prophet Dawud AS.

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  • Salam and welcome to IslamSE the Q&A site about Islam. To learn more about our site and the SE model consider taking the tour and checking our help center.
    – Medi1Saif ♦
    Dec 13 '18 at 6:39
  • I don't know of any source going on details on that we only know that he used to fast alternate days, whether he fasted the whole day (~24h) or had specific times for breaking the fast and starting to fast during the 24h of a day like it is the case for us could end up as a speculation as long as we don't have certainty based on a reliable source.
    – Medi1Saif ♦
    Dec 13 '18 at 6:41
  • Day 2 is basically I inferred from how Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to follow his fasting and non fasting days.
    – Developer
    Dec 13 '18 at 22:00
  • Correct me if I'm wrong. When he was fasting he had two meals iftar and suhoor and no water during the day. When he wasn't fasting he had one meal a day but he'd drink water during the day, if he ate in the morning he'd eat the next morning, if he ate in the night he'd eat in the next night.
    – Developer
    Dec 13 '18 at 22:00
  • I've read some hadith commentaries on this and taking all ahadith on the topic in account then the fast of Dawod was fasting half of they year is a more correct statement than fasting alternate days. But give me some time and I hopefully may answer this question even if the answer wouldn't show a clear protocol as I've said in my earlier comment.
    – Medi1Saif ♦
    Dec 14 '18 at 6:50
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It is not forbidden to fast every day. AS long as you do not fast on the forbidden days stated above. If you want to fast every day treat it really is as a "voluntary fast" and not like a compulsory fast like in Ramadhan. Meaning if you could do it, do it but don't burden your health, lifestyle, workload and etc. Allah wants us to fast & Allah also doesn't want us to ruin ourselves. If there is no risk of fasting then go for it and if you need to take a break for a few days then take the break.

If you are afraid that you could not listen to your body properly then to strike the balance, Rasulullah s.a.w had said the best way to fast is to fast like Prophet Dawud a.s. Fast in every alternate day.

Btw as stated above there is no 24-hour straight fasting in Islam. Only fajr till Maghrib and not for those who live in the artic where it is so cold and most importantly there is no sunset and sunrise.

Allah knows best.

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Bismi Allah Ar Rahman Ar Rahim.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All Perfect Praise be to Almighty God,

and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family and companions,

Having said that,

Peace be upon those who follow guidance

God Almighty said :

("and eat and drink until the white streak becomes manifest to you from the dark streak at the crack of dawn. Then complete the fast until nightfall, ")(Surat Al-Baqarah:187)

In this verse of The Quran; Allah clearly state the permitted time to eat during night and when to begin fasting ("crack of dawn") until ("nightfall") which refers to the sunset, therefore there is nothing such as 24 hours fasting, then we can summarize that fasting period is during daytime ( from dawn (fajr) to sunset (maghrib)).

Now for the fasting of The Prophet Dawood (David) - Blessing of Allah upon him - Prophet Mohammad - Prayers and Blessings of Allah upon him - told us that he was fasting one day (dawn to sunset) and not fasting the next day (regular eating and drinking), for example - fasting (dawn to sunset) on these days : Saturday - Monday - Wednesday - Friday - Sunday - Tuesday - Thursday - ... and it goes like this one day fasting and the next day regularly eating and drinking (Just keep in mind that there is no night fasting)

Also, Fasting is forbidden on these days:

1- Eid al-Fitr (1st Shawwal) in the Hijri (Islamic calendar).

2- Tashriq (11th, 12th, 13th Dhulhijjah) in the Hijri (Islamic calendar).

3- Eid Al Adha (10th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Hijri (Islamic calendar)).

Also, Fasting everyday is forbidden too.

I hope that this is helpful and clarifies any misunderstanding, Ill be glad to explain more about it if youve got any other followup points

and God knows best.

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  • I don't see how Al-Baqarah:187 is relevant here, considering Dawood's fasting would've been done generations before it was ever revealed.
    – goldPseudo ♦
    Dec 21 '18 at 1:19
  • the question says : "Day 1 - Fast for 24 hours (No food, no water, clear)" it is related to the period of fasting during any given day
    – Redwan Merabet
    Dec 21 '18 at 1:27
  • the referenced verse ignited a question, "Then complete the fast until nightfall", so I eat at sunset and then stop eating when it gets fully dark? Meaning I've like an hour to finish eating??? Please clarify this part.
    – Developer
    Feb 1 '19 at 20:22
  • Fasting everyday is forbidden, I didn't know that... Can you please provide me a reference to this.
    – Developer
    Feb 1 '19 at 20:22
  • I'd love to get on a chat with you, @goldPseudo is right, the quran verse doesn't relate to Prophet David's protocol, I believe he fasted 24 hours (not sun dawn to sunset) on Day 1, second day protocol is not clear for which I'm actually incorporating Sunnah (i.e. eat one meal a day). Prophet Muhammad PBUH ate one meal a day in regular days and drink water, and if fasting two meals (suhoor and iftar) and of course no water during the day.
    – Developer
    Feb 1 '19 at 20:27

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