As for his words:

“Fasting three days of every month is equivalent to fasting year-round,”

and his words:

“Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwāl is as though he has fasted year-round. A good deed is rewarded tenfold,”

and similar statements, he means that whoever does this receives the reward of fasting year-round through the multiplication of reward, without incurring the harm. Thus, whoever fasts three days of every month receives the reward of fasting year-round, apart from Ramadan. Whoever fasts Ramadan and six days of Shawwāl receives, through the two combined, the reward of fasting year-round.

Analogical reasoning would suggest that devoting all one’s time to fasting would be an act of worship, were it not for an overriding consideration against it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained this overriding consideration: neglecting what takes precedence over fasting and incurring harm that outweighs its benefit. Such a person thus forfeits a greater benefit, whether obligatory or recommended, while incurring harm that outweighs the benefit of fasting.

He (peace and blessings be upon him) explained the wisdom behind the prohibition, saying:

“Whoever fasts year-round has neither fasted nor broken his fast.”

For fasting becomes a habit for him, like fasting at night: he gains no benefit from such fasting, and has neither truly fasted nor broken his fast.

Any Companion reported to have fasted continuously held one of these views. The same applies to anyone reported to have regularly spent the entire night in prayer, or to have prayed the dawn prayer with the ablution he had performed for the ‘Ishā’ prayer for so many years—although many such reports are weak.

‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd said to his companions:

“You