Anonymous - IslamWeb
The righteous servants of Allah used to welcome the month of Ramadan with repentance and true determination to reap its benefits and fully utilize its precious time. Our Salaf (pious predecessors) were the best in this vein. Here are some of their deeds in Ramadan:
Praying Qiyam Al-Layl:
The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said:
"He who observes the qiyam of the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Also, Allah says:
"And the servants of the Most Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth with humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say (Peace);" Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrating and standing." [Qur'an, 25:63-64]
Thus, waking up in the night to pray qiyam al-layl, i.e. performing prayer in the middle of the night, was a regular act of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, and his Companions. 'Aisha, May Allah be pleased with her, said, "Do not abandon qiyam al-layl, for the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, never left it. If he was not well or he felt heavy, he prayed sitting."
Umar Ibn al-Khattab, May Allah be please with him, used to pray at night what he wished, until it was in the middle of the night, when he would awaken his family to pray; then he would say to them "prayer.. prayer", and would recite this verse of the Qur'an:
"Enjoin prayer on your people, and be constant therein. We ask you not to provide sustenance: We provide it for you. But the fruit of the Hereafter is for righteousness." [Qur'an 20:132]
Ibn Umar used to recite:
"Is one who worships devoutly during the hours of the night, prostrating himself or standing (in adoration), who takes heed of the Hereafter, and who places his hope in the Mercy of his Lord like one who does not?" [Qur'an 39:9].
He said that was referring to Uthman Ibn Affan, May Allah be please with him. Ibn Abi Hatim said Ibn Umar said that it was due to the length of the prayer of the commander of the faithful, Uthman, at night and his recitation to the extent that he may have recited the entire Qur'an in one rak'ah!
Alqamah Ibn Qays narrated, "I slept with Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, May Allah be please with him, one night. He woke up in the early part of the night and began to pray. He recited with a recitation similar to that of the neighbourhood imam with a medium regular pace. Those around him could hear him and he continued until what remained of the night's darkness was equal to the time between the adhan (call) for maghrib prayer and the end of the maghrib prayer time, i.e. a short time before daybreak. He then performed witr prayer.
Furthermore, Al-Sa'ib Ibn Zayd narrated in a hadith that the reciter would recite (the Qur'an) with hundreds of verses such that we supported ourselves with staves due to the lengthiness of the prayer and did not leave until the time of fajr (dawn prayer).
However, one has to complete the taraweeh prayer with the imam in order to be reckoned as one of those who stood (the night) in prayer. The Prophet (SAWS) said, "Whoever stays with his imam until he completes the prayer, will have the night written for him as one who performed Qiyam Al-Layl, i.e. one who stood the night in prayer."
Giving Charity (Sadaqah):
The Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, was the most generous of people, and he was most generous during Ramadan. He was more generous with good deeds than the blowing wind. The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, also said, "The best charity is one given during Ramadan." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi from Anas]
The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward." [Related by Ahmad and Al-Nasai. Also verified by Al-Albani as sahih]
In a hadith narrated by Salman al-Farisi, the Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person, will be recompensed with forgiveness of sins and salvation from Hell. He will receive the same reward as the fasting person without causing him any reduction (in his reward).' (The Companions) said, 'Messenger of Allah, not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person.' The Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, 'Allah will give this reward to the one who feeds a fasting person with a sip of milk or a piece of date or a sip of water. And Allah will make who ever quenches the thirst of a fasting person to drink from my cistern a drink so that he will never feel thirsty until he enters Paradise (where there is no thirst)."
The Salaf used to guarantee feeding others and they gave it priority over many acts of worship, and it is equally rewarded whether you feed a hungry person or a good Muslim brother of yours. Hence, poverty is not a condition for feeding a person. The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, "When a believer feeds a hungry believer, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Paradise. And when he quenches the thirst of a believer, Allah will make him drink from the pure sealed wine of Paradise." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi with a good chain of narration]
Some of our pious predecessors said, "For me to invite ten of my friends and feed them with a meal that they like is better for me than freeing ten of the descendants of Isma'il (Prophet Ishmael)." Many among the Salaf used to leave their food for breaking the fast for others. They included Abdullah Ibn Umar May Allah be please with them all, Dawud al-Ta'i, Malik Ibn Dinar and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.
Ibn Umar, May Allah be please with him. did not break his fast except with the orphans and the needy. Sometimes, if he learned that his family had turned back the orphans and the needy, he would not break the fast that night. Also among the Salaf were those who fed their brother Muslims while they still continued to fast. They also served them and attended to their well-being. Among them were AI-Hassan Al-Basri and Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak.
Abu Al-Sawar Al-'Adwi said, "Some men from Banu Adiy tribe used to pray in the mosque. None of them ever broke the fast alone with his food. If he found someone to share with, he ate with him, if not, he would take it to the mosque, so that others ate with him and he ate with others. Feeding other people is an act of worship which triggers many other acts of worship. Ties of love and brotherliness are strengthened between you and the person you feed and that may lead you to Paradise."
Recitation of the Qur'an:
The month of Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an. The Salaf used to pay particular attention to the Book of Allah, and angel Jibril (Gabriel) used to study the Qur'an with the Prophet, Peace and Blessing from Allah be upon him, during Ramadan. Uthman Ibn Affan used to complete reciting the Qur'an once each day. Some of the Salaf also completed the Qur'an in their qiyam prayer every three nights. Others completed it every seven days, while some others completed it every ten nights.
They used to recite the Qur'an during prayers and at other times. During Ramadan, Al-Shafi'i used to complete reciting the Qur'an sixty times, excluding prayer times. AI-Aswad used to complete reciting the Qur'an every two nights. Qatada regularly completed the Qur'an within seven nights, while during Ramadan, he completed it every three nights, but in the last ten days of Ramadan, he completed it every night.
When Ramadan came, Al-Zuhri left studying the hadith and study circles with scholars and he concentrated on reciting the Qur'an from the book (i.e. not from memory). Also, when Ramadan came, Sufyan Al-Thawri left all other acts of worship and concentrated on the Qur'an. Ibn Rajab said that it was reported from the Prophet, Peace and Blessing from Allah be upon him, that the Qur'an may not be completed in less than three days by those who recite it constantly. As for the blessed times such as Ramadan, especially during the nights of expecting Laylat al-Qadr or when in holy places such as Makkah for those not inhabiting it, it is recommended that the recitation of the Qur'an be increased in order to benefit from the blessings of the time and the place. This is the opinion of Ahmad, Ishaq and others among the distinguished scholars. As we indicated earlier, the actions of other scholars also support this view.
Weeping During the Recitation of the Qur'an:
It was not reported from the Salaf that they chanted the Qur'an like poetry without pondering and understanding (its meanings); rather, they were moved by the Words of Allah, and they in turn changed the hearts of others with it. In a hadith in AI-Bukhari, Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, May Allah be please with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, 'Recite (the Qur'an) to me.' Then I said, 'How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you?' The Prophet, Peace and Blessing from Allah be upon him, said, 'I like to hear it from someone else."' Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud said, "I recited the Qur'an from Surah Al-Nisa' until I reached the verse that says:
"How will it be then, when We bring from every nation a witness and bring you to witness over all of them" [Qur'an 4:41].
The Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, 'That is enough.' I turned to the Prophet, Peace and Blessing from Allah be upon him, and found his eyes flooding with tears."'
Al-Bayhaqi related from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet, Peace and Blessing from Allah be upon him, said, "When the verse of the Qur'an that says: 'Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur'an) and you laugh at it and weep not." [Qur'an 53:59-60] was revealed, the Companions residing in the Suffah, (the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque) wept until tears began to trickle down their cheeks." When the Prophet, Peace and Blessing from Allah be upon him, heard their weeping, he wept with them and his weeping made us weep. The Messenger of Allah said, "The person who weeps in humility to Allah will not enter Hell."
Ibn Umar read surah Al-Mutaffifin until he reached ...the Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds... [Qur'an 83:6]; he wept to such an extent that he fell to the ground and could not move on to the next verses. Furthermore, Muzahim Ibn Zafar related, "Sufyan Al-Thawri lead us in Maghrib prayer, and when he reached 'You (Alone) do we worship and You (Alone) do we ask for help' [Qur'an 1:5], he began to weep so that his recitation was disrupted. So he started from Alhamdulillah again."
It has been reported that Ibrahim Al-Ash'ath said, "One night, I heard Fudhayl Ibn Ayadh reciting this verse of the Qur'an, repeatedly as he wept:
"And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive their utmost and persevere in patience, and We shall test your facts (whether true or false)" [Qur'an 47:31]
But he kept on saying the words of Allah, 'And We shall test your facts', then he would say, 'And You will test our facts? If You test our facts, You will disgrace us and expose our secrets. Indeed if You do that, You will destroy us and punish us,' and he would continue crying!
Anticipating of Laylat Al-Qadr:
Allah the Almighty says:
"We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months." [Qur'an 97:1-3)
The Prophet, Peace and Blessing from Allah be upon him, said, "He who observes laylat al-Qadr with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim).
The Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, used to look out for laylat al-Qadr and commanded his Companions also to look out for it. He used to wake up his family members during the last ten nights in the hope that they would succeed in meeting the blessed night (in worship). It is related in Musnad Ahmad from 'Ubada that the Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, "Whoever stays awake in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, and succeeds in getting it, will have all of his sins both past and future forgiven."
It has been reported that some of our predecessors among the Companions and their successors took a complete bath and used perfume during the last ten nights (of Ramadan) in anticipation of Laylat al-Qadr, which has been highly honoured by Allah. So one should make up for what he has missed by observing the night of Laylat al-Qadr, as it is reckoned from one's age. Good deeds undertaken in this night are better than (the deeds of) a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its benefits has indeed been much deprived.
Sincerity in Actions:
The Prophet, Peace and Blessings from Allah be upon him, said, "(Fasting) with full faith and hoping for a reward from Allah..." The Salaf therefore used to do their righteous deeds secretly in fear of falling into showing off. Hence, we find this great Tabi'i, i.e. from the generation succeeding the Companions of the Prophet, Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani, about whom Hamad Ibn Zayd said, "Sometimes, when studying hadith, Ayyoub would be so moved and he would turn (away) to blow his nose. Then he would say, 'How severe this cold is!' pretending to be having a cold to hide his weeping."
It has been reported that Muhammad Ibn Wasi' said, "I have known men among whom there is one whose head would be placed beside that of his wife on the same pillow, so that the part of the pillow under his cheek would become wet from tears without his wife noticing it. I have also known men, who while in the row for prayer, tears would pour down their cheeks and the one next to them would not notice it. Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani used to remain awake for the entire night (in worship), yet he would hide it. So when morning came, he raised his voice as if he had woken up that instant. Ibn Adiy related that Dawud Ibn Abi Hind fasted for forty years without his family knowing about it. His occupation was embroidery, so he would take his lunch along with him (to work) but donate it to charity on the way. When he returned at night, he would break his fast with the family and they did not know that he was fasting!"
Sufyan Al-Thawri said, "The servant of Allah would do his deeds secretly, and the devil would persist in tempting him until he convinces him to do it openly. The devil would then continue to insist until the person wants to be thanked for the deed. So, it will be converted from a deed done openly to one done for showing off
