‘What is the matter with men who say such-and-such? I fast and also refrain from fasting; I pray at night and also sleep; I marry women and eat meat. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.’”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) thus explained that such misguided asceticism and worship are not part of his Sunnah. Whoever turns away from his Sunnah in favour of these practices, considering them better than his Sunnah, is not of him.

Ubayy ibn Ka'b said:

“Adhere to the path and the Sunnah. Whenever a servant who follows the path and the Sunnah remembers Allah in solitude and his skin shivers with fear of Allah, his sins fall away from him as dry leaves fall from a tree. Whenever a servant who follows the path and the Sunnah remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes overflow with tears from fear of Allah, the Fire will never touch him. Moderate effort in following the path and the Sunnah is better than strenuous effort contrary to the path and the Sunnah. So take care that your deeds, whether strenuous or moderate, follow the way of the prophets and their Sunnah.”

Likewise, 'Abd Allāh ibn Mas'ūd said: “Moderate effort in following the Sunnah is better than strenuous effort in religious innovation.”

Scholars have differed over fasting every day, provided that one does not fast on the two Eid days or the days of Minā. A group of jurists and devout worshippers considered this recommended and regarded it as better than fasting on alternate days. Another group did not regard it as better, but considered it permissible without being disliked, holding that fasting half the time was better. They understood the reports discouraging year-round fasting as referring to those who fast on the prohibited days.

The third view is: