The Prophet (saw) said:
“The best people are those of my generation, and then those who will come after them (the next generation), and then those who will come after them (i.e. the next generation), and then after them, there will come people whose witness will precede their oaths, and whose oaths will precede their witness.” – Bukhari
The Sahabah (Raa) are the noblest after the Ambiya (Prophets). Allah selected them to sit in the company of the Prophet (Saw). They were the best Companions for the best creation of Allah, our beloved Prophet (Saw). Although they are diverse with regards to the time of their Islam and the duration of their closeness to the Prophet (saw), Allah included them all when declaring His pleasure for them, praising them, and promising them Jannah. In the Quran, Allah says:
“And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajirin and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” (surah Tawbah :100)
There is a lot we can learn from the Sahabahs. One such thing is how they prepared for Ramadan. The Sahabahs (Raa) used to prepare for Ramadan six months in advance. They would make dua to Allah to allow them to reach the month of Ramadan. Then for the next six months after Ramadan they would ask Allah to accept their fasts and efforts during Ramadan. What a beautiful way to approach this holy month. Instead of viewing it as a one month endeavour, they would spend all year preparing for Ramadan. If we started to incorporate their mindset for Ramadan, imagine how impactful this month would be? Instead of thinking of all that we need to sacrifice for this month, we would mostly be focused on the benefits that this month offers.
Welcoming the month
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet (Saw), said when the month of Ramadan arrived:
“The month of Ramadan has come, a blessed month in which Allah Almighty has obligated you to fast. In it the gates of the heavens are opened, and in it the gates of Hellfire are closed, and in it the devils are chained, and in it is a night that is better than a thousand months. Thus, whoever is deprived of its good is truly deprived.” (Ahmad).
It’s narrated that when Ramadhan Ibn Umar (RA) used to say ‘Welcome oh the month that purifies us from the sins.’
Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, would supplicate when the month of Ramdan arrived, “O Allah, secure me for Ramadan, secure Ramadan for me, and receive my deeds with acceptance.” [Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 3/69]
The Sahabas (Raa) knew that Ramadan was more than just the act of refraining from food and drink. Allah has created a golden opportunity for the Ummah to get close to Him. Even the hadith of the Prophet Muhammed Peace be Upon Him further emphasized that. He urged his companions to make the best use of this time. To reflect on their character and abstain from following their desires.
Al-Sha’bi reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Fasting is not merely from food and drink alone. Rather, it is from lies, falsehood, vain talk, and swearing.”
We live in testing times, so it is important to look into the lives of the best group of people, to understand the lessons we can derive in apply into our modern context we find ourselves in. The Sahabas knew the importance of Ramadan and how it encompassed all areas of our lives, not just the physical aspect of abstaining from food and drink.
Quran
The Quran is a huge component of Ramadan. It is in this month the holy book was revealed. The Sahabas would turn all their attention to the Quran because they witnessed the revelations that would come down to the Prophet (saw).
It is said of the companions, ‘Sa’aid Ibnu Jubeyr (ra) used to finish the whole recitation of Quran in two nights. subhanAllah, this is dedication.
We also learn that Anas ibn Malik (ra) used to run from all circles of knowledge when Ramadhan started and turned instead to the recitation of Quran. He was clear in what his goals were for the month and made it a priority to focus on the endeavor. This is also a lesson in not doing everything but excelling in one area.
They did not want to miss out on the blessings of reciting the verses from the Quran in this month. It is a reminder to us that we need to make sure we carve out time to focus on the recitation and reflection of the Quran. It has everything we need. Try to read as much as you can during this month. Every bit counts.
Abu Huraira reported, I heard Allah's Messenger (saw) saying regarding Ramadan, "Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven."
Prayer is an important aspect of Ramadan. The Sahabas would spend the night in Taraweeh to obtain the reward of having their sins forgiven. They would do all that they could to attain closeness to Allah. They would follow the example of the Prophet (saw) to the best of their abilities.
Fasting
The Prophet (saw) said, “Fasting is a shield. When anyone of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language, nor raise his voice; rather if anyone reviles him or quarrels with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’” [Bukhari and Muslim]
The above hadith influenced how the sahabah lived their lives. They filled their day with supplications, guarded their tongues and continued to remind one another long after the passing of the Prophet (Saw) about this essential element of fasting.
Ali (RA) would deliver a sermon, after Fajr and Asr prayers, reminding people that fasting is “not merely from food and drink, but rather from lying, falsehood, and vain talk.” [al-Sunan al-Kubrá lil-Bayhaqī 7955]
Charity
Ibn Abbas (RA) said, “The Messenger of Allah (saw) was the most generous person, and he would be even more so in the month of Ramadan because Jibreel would meet him every night in the month of Ramadan till it elapsed. The Messenger of Allah (saw) would recite the Qur’an for him. When Jibreel met him, he would be more generous than the blowing wind in doing good.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
This hadith affected the lives of the Sahabah deeply, they made sure they implemented the advice of the Prophet (saw) and all strove within the month seeking every opportunity to seek the pleasure of Allah.
The Prophet (saw) said, “Whoever gives iftaar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the reward of the fasting person in the slightest.” [Tirmidhi]
The Prophet (saw) and his companions were also generous with their duas. They never failed to seek forgiveness for themselves, others, loved ones, ummah etc.
Charity can come in different forms through spending your wealth, giving your time, donating your skills or other resources. In Islam, we’re taught that a smile is charity, saying a good word is charity, as is spreading salaam as well as a plethora of other easy to do good deeds. If you are able to donate your money during this month, know it can go to the people who need it most and go further than you think.
The article offers us a glimpse into how much Ramadan was revered the Sahabahs (Raa). They were sincere in their worship and understood the gift of Ramadan. A wise person is he who seeks wisdom from those whom have dwelled within the Dunya and departed and left a treasure trove of gems for us to heed.
May Allah protect us and our families from the trials affecting the world right now, may he extinguish the darkness from our own selves and remove us from the whispers of the Shaytan and protects us from the His wrath. May this Ramadan be a means of deeper inward cleansing and purification, and may we leave the month, forgiven and in a state of pureness, better than having entered ameen.
