Fasting of the companions of the Prophet (S.A.W)

They were of the best stock. The companions of the Prophet. Some of them are known as the righteous caliphs. Others are achieved renown for their constant companionship, for their preparedness to listen and obey the Almighty through His prophet, for their preference for the truth in all situations and in all circumstances, for their […]

They were of the best stock. The companions of the Prophet. Some of them are known as the righteous caliphs. Others are achieved renown for their constant companionship, for their preparedness to listen and obey the Almighty through His prophet, for their preference for the truth in all situations and in all circumstances, for their humility. Abu Bakr became the Khalifah in Madinah. But that did not stop his old habit-the habit of milking fat goats for the orphans of the city. Umar bn al-Khatab became the Khalifah. Yet he continued to wear patched clothes all around the city. There were no chauffeur driven camels for the Khalifah like you have it today. Today our governors and occupiers of public offices live as if in they are paradise. They live in luxurious encampments, ride in luxurious cars and enjoy what they call security votes. Umar bn al-Khatab became the Khalifah and yet he maintained his habit of carrying water jug on his bag in search of those of in need of water.

Yes. They were the companions of the Prophet (S.A.W). They used to give constantly and ceaselessly. They constantly overlooked the mistakes and errors of their fellow companions. They were the companions of the Prophet those who were constantly in the ready to sacrifice their souls in defense of the faith.

Now, how did they use to fast in the month of Ramadan? Was their fasting like ours? Was their Ramadan like our Ramadan? Before the emergence of the crescent signifying the beginning of the month, the companions used to ask the Almighty to grant them long life so that they could be alive to witness the month. They used to supplicate to Him to accept their acts of worship even long before the month begins. These were people who lived with the acute consciousness that nothing of the unknown and the hidden can be known. They knew that to live to witness the onset of the month of fasting is a privilege; they knew that they constantly had to be on the mat supplicating to Him to accept their offerings even before they were offered.

Once the month began, the companions of our Prophet (r.a) used to be contented with whatever they had. And indeed they had little at their disposal during those early period of Islam. I refer at this juncture to a Madinah without air-conditioners. I refer to a Madinah that had only dates as the staple at the reach of most families. I refer to a Madinah which subsisted more on austerity than on material prosperity; that Madinah that had to experience deprivation as a precondition for plum and plenitude.

Once the month began, the companions of our Prophet (r.a) used to show due diligence to the Quran; diligence in the recitation of the Quran. It is said that Uthman bin Affan (r.a) used to finish the recitation of the whole Quran once every day. But as far as the companions of the Prophet were concerned, recitation of the Quran would be invalid once it was not accompanied by contemplation. For them, both the quantum and the quality mattered in regard to the Quran; for them the text of the Quran is as important as the context, the sound is as important as the message.

Abu Hurayrah is reported to have said that when the last verses of chapter fifty three (Surah al-Najm) were revealed: “Do you then wonder at this recital (the Quran)? And you laugh at it and weep not” (53: 59,60,61), the companions who used to live in the mosque of Prophet were immediately seized by the import and the message of the revelation. They immediately let their emotion loose. They began to cry. The Prophet soon heard of their circumstance. He later joined them in the mosque. He too could not hold back his feelings; the feeling of faith and spiritual upliftment. He said: “He will not enter hellfire a person who cried out of fear of the Almighty”.