Arabic (Original)
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ قَالَا ثنا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا بَحْرُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ ثنا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ حَدَّثَنِي جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ الضَّبِّيَّ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ رَجَاءِ بْنِ حَيْوَةَ أَحْسَبُهُ عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مُرْنِي بِأَمْرٍ يَنْفَعُنِي اللهُ بِهِ قَالَ عَلَيْكَ بِالصِّيَامِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا مِثْلَ لَهُ قَالَ فَكَانَ أَبُو أُمَامَةَ لَا يُلْقَى إِلَّا صَائِمًا هُوَ وَامْرَأَتُهُ وَخَادِمُهُ فَإِذَا رُئِيَ فِي دَارِهِ دُخَانٌ بِالنَّهَارِ قِيلَ اعْتَرَاهُمْ ضَيْفٌ ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّكَ أَمَرْتَنِي بِأَمْرٍ أَرْجُو اللهَ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ بَارَكَ اللهُ لِي فِيهِ فَمُرْنِي بِأَمْرٍ قَالَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ لَا تَسْجُدُ لِلَّهِ سَجْدَةً إِلَّا رَفَعَكَ اللهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةً وَكَتَبَ لَكَ بِهَا حَسَنَةً وَحَطَّ عَنْكَ بِهَا سَيِّئَةً تَابَعَهُ مَهْدِيُّ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ وَرَوَاهُ شُعْبَةُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ أَبِي نَصْرٍ الْهِلَالِيِّ عَنْ رَجَاءِ بْنِ حَيْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ
English Translation
Abu Umamah reported: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent us on a military expedition' — and he mentioned the hadith — then he said: 'I said: O Messenger of Allah, command me with something by which Allah will benefit me. He said: You must fast, for there is nothing equal to it.' Abu Umamah was never seen except fasting — he, his wife, and his servant. If smoke was seen from his house during the day, it was said: A guest has come to them. Then I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you commanded me with something and I hope that Allah has blessed me in it, so command me with another matter.' He said: 'Know that you do not prostrate to Allah a single prostration except that Allah raises you by it a degree, records for you a good deed, and removes from you a sin.' This was corroborated by Mahdi ibn Maymun from Muhammad ibn Abi Ya'qub, and Shu'bah narrated it from Muhammad ibn Abi Ya'qub from Abu Nasr al-Hilali from Raja' ibn Haywah from Abu Umamah.