The
righteous servants of Allaah 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 Qiyaam Al-Layl:
The Messenger of Allaah 
said: "He
who observes the qiyam of the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and
hope for the reward of Allaah will have his past sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. Also, Allaah Says what means: "And
the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth
easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words
of] peace.And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord
prostrating and standing [in prayer]." [Qur'an 25: 63-64]
Thus, waking up in the night to pray Qiyaam al-Layl, i.e. performing prayer during the night, was a regular act of the Prophet and his Companions 
. 'Aa'ishah 
said, "Do not abandon Qiyaam Al-Layl, for the Messenger of Allaah never left it. If he was not well or he felt heavy, he prayed sitting."
'Umar Ibn al-Khattaab 
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 which
means: "And enjoin prayer upon your
family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for
provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of]
righteousness." [Quran 20:132]
Ibn 'Umar used to recite (what means):" Is
one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating
and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy
of his Lord, [like one who does not]?..." [Quran 39:9]. He said that was referring to 'Uthmaan Ibn Affaan .
Ibn Abi Haatim said Ibn 'Umar said that it was due to the length of the
prayer of the commander of the faithful, 'Uthmaan, at night and his
recitation to the extent that he might have recited the entire Quran in
one Rak'ah!
Giving charity (Sadaqah):
The Prophet
was the most generous of people, and he was most generous during
Ramadan. He was more generous with good deeds than the blowing wind. He said: "The best charity is one given during Ramadan." [Al-Tirmithi]
The Messenger of Allaah also said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward." [Ahmad and Al-Nasaa'i]
In a hadith narrated by Salman al-Farisi, the Prophet 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 Allaah, not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person." The Prophet said, "Allaah
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 Allaah 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 (pious predecessors) 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
Allaah said: "When
a believer feeds a hungry believer, Allaah will feed him from the
fruits of Paradise. And when he quenches the thirst of a believer,
Allaah will make him drink from the pure sealed wine of Paradise." [At-Tirmithi]
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 Ismaa'eel (Prophet Ishmael 
)." Many among the Salaf used to leave their food for breaking the fast for others. Among them were Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar (), Daawood at-Taa'i, Maalik Ibn Dinaar and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
.
Ibn 'Umar
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-Mubaarak.
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 would eat with him, if not, he would
take it to the mosque, so that others would eat with him and he would
eat 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."
said: "He
who observes the qiyam of the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and
hope for the reward of Allaah will have his past sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. Also, Allaah Says what means: "And
the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth
easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words
of] peace.And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord
prostrating and standing [in prayer]." [Qur'an 25: 63-64] and his Companions . 'Aa'ishah said, "Do not abandon Qiyaam Al-Layl, for the Messenger of Allaah never left it. If he was not well or he felt heavy, he prayed sitting."
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 which
means: "And enjoin prayer upon your
family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for
provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of]
righteousness." [Quran 20:132] used to recite (what means):" Is
one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating
and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy
of his Lord, [like one who does not]?..." [Quran 39:9]. He said that was referring to 'Uthmaan Ibn Affaan .
Ibn Abi Haatim said Ibn 'Umar said that it was due to the length of the
prayer of the commander of the faithful, 'Uthmaan, at night and his
recitation to the extent that he might have recited the entire Quran in
one Rak'ah!
was the most generous of people, and he was most generous during
Ramadan. He was more generous with good deeds than the blowing wind. He said: "The best charity is one given during Ramadan." [Al-Tirmithi] also said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward." [Ahmad and Al-Nasaa'i] 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 Allaah, not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person." The Prophet said, "Allaah
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 Allaah 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)." said: "When
a believer feeds a hungry believer, Allaah will feed him from the
fruits of Paradise. And when he quenches the thirst of a believer,
Allaah will make him drink from the pure sealed wine of Paradise." [At-Tirmithi])." Many among the Salaf used to leave their food for breaking the fast for others. Among them were Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar (), Daawood at-Taa'i, Maalik Ibn Dinaar and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.
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-Mubaarak.
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