The word salaf in its etymology means those who came before us. The word salafus in Islamic terminology means the best and early generations from the muslim ummah which consists of The Sahabah, The Tabi’een, The Tabi’ut Tabi’een and the Imams which were from the first 3 generations that were praised by Allah S.W.T and his messenger S.A.W. We know them today as the Salafus Salih or the Pious Predecessors. The Prophet SAW said in a hadith:
:عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then whose who follow the latter.” (Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim)
(Mishkat Al-Masabih 3767)
The Salaf treated the month of Ramadhan like no other. They multiplied their acts of worship in this holy month because they were aware that the rewards that were promised by Allah S.W.T are multiplied. They would prepare themselves as early as up to 6 months in advanced for Ramadhan and would make Du’a to Allah S.W.T with the desire in their hearts to reach this blessed month. To them, this month was a month that they could not miss. They would frequently say:
” اللهم بلغنا رمضان “
“Oh Allah, please let us reach the month of Ramadhan.”
Fasting in the month of Ramadhan to the pious predecessors was not only about abstaining oneself from food and drink. This was the easiest and most fundamental part of Ramadhan. They had a deeper understanding of what they should do in the golden month and would abstain themselves from anything that would distract their acts of worship. Instead, they would leave everything that was impermissible and perform acts of worship that made them closer to Allah s.w.t.
The famous sahabah, Jabir Ibn Abdillah used to say:
” إذا صمت فليصم سمعك و بصرك و لسانك عن الكذب و المحارم, ودع أذى الجار, وليكن عليك سكينة ووقار يوم صومك, ولا تجعل يوم صومك و يوم فطرك سواء “
“When you fast, let your ears, eyes and tongue fast from lying and the impermissible, and stop annoying your neighbours, and when you fast, it should be seen as you’re fasting, and do not make the day that you fast and the day you do not fast the same.”
(Lataiful Maarif)
The Salaf used to not only fast from hunger, but they also ‘fasted’ their eyes from seeing what they were not supposed to see, their ears and tongue from acts that are prohibited such as backbiting and slandering. They would also maintain good relations with the people around them such as their neighbours. In addition to that, they strived hard to make sure that their character and their acts of worship during the days they are fasting were more significant from the days they weren’t.
Ibn Rejab Al-Hanbali quoted a beautiful peom in his book, Lataiful Maarif, regarding this. The poet used to say:
إذا لم يكن في السمع مني تصاون # و في بصري غض و في منطقي صمت
فحظي إذا من صومي الجوع و الظما # فإن قلت إني صمت يومي فما صمت
“If I indulge my ears and eyes in its desires when fasting, then the only reward that awaits my fast are hunger and thirst, and if I then claim that I fasted, know that it is as though I didn’t”
They did not want to be from amongst the people mentioned in a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah :
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ
“ رُبَّ صَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ إِلاَّ الْجُوعُ. وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ إِلاَّ السَّهَرُ ” .
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger, and there are those who pray and get nothing from their prayer but a sleepless night”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 1690)
Another trait of the Salaf during the month of Ramadhan was that the Qur’an used to be their best friend. They would not leave the Qur’an out of their sight. They would hold the Qur’an just as how we hold our phones today, and would finish reading it multiple times in a month. Their recitations of the Qur’an were coupled with understanding and cogitation.
Aswad Ibn Yazid used to finish reading the Qur’an every 2 nights. The great Tabi’een, Ibrahim An-Nakha’ie, used to complete reading the Qur’an every 2 days during the last 10 nights of Ramadhan. During the first 20 days, he would complete it every 3 nights. Qatadah used to complete reading the Qur’an on a normal month every 7 days but during Ramadhan he would finish it every 3 days and during the last 10 nights, he would finish it every night. Our great Imam, Imam As-Syafi’e used to complete the Qur’an 60 times during Ramadhan (excluding those in his prayers).
This shows how close the Salaf were with the Qur’an. We should emulate their ways to the best of our capabilities and try to be close to the Qur’an as far as possible. A small, yet powerful tip in trying to emulate the Salaf is to spend less time on our phones, or even delete all our social media accounts and concentrate solely on the Qur’an in this holy month. Omitting distractions can assist in allowing us to fully maximise our chance in Ramadhan and being with the Qur’an.
In Ramadhan, the Prophet S.A.W was known to be the most generous. It is stated in a hadith narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas r.a :
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما:
قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أجود الناس، وكان أجود ما يكون في رمضان حين يلقاه جبريل وكان جبريل يلقاه في كل ليلة من رمضان فيدارسه القرآن فَلَرَسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حين يلقاه جبريل أجود بالخير من الريح المرسلة
Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was the most generous of the men; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadhan when Jibril visited him every night and recited the Qur’an to him. During this period, the generosity of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) waxed faster than the rain bearing wind” (Reported by Bukhari & Muslim)
(Riyadhus Salihin 1222)
Even though the Prophet S.A.W was not the wealthiest of people, he was the most generous in helping other people in the month of Ramadhan compared to the other months. This action was then followed by the Salaf by increasing their acts of charity with their wealth during this blessed month.
Some of the Salaf used to say: “Prayer helps the believer passes the half of Allah’s path, while fasting helps him reach the gate of Allah’s (favours), and charity renders him engulfed with Allah’s blessings.”
(Lataiful Maarif)
The Salaf used to go the extra mile during Ramadhan and search for orphans, widows and those in need so that they could give charity and a helping hand.
With regards to Qiyamullail, prolonging night prayers during this month was a normal practice amongst the Salaf. Aishah r.a used to say that the Prophet s.a.w would pray his night prayer the most during the month of Ramadhan. Umar r.a used to tell Ubai bin Ka’ab and Tamim Ad-Daari to stand in prayer with the congregation during this month, the Imam used to read 200 pages in each raka’ah until some of them had to use sticks to support themselves because of how long the night prayers were. They would only depart until when Fajr arrived.
The Salaf would also do I’tikaf in the mosque, especially in the last 10 nights of Ramadhan as how the prophet s.a.w used to do it. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal advised that those who commit I’tikaf should not mix around with people in the midst of it. The allocated time should be invested in the Qur’an, Zikr, seeking Allah’s forgiveness and any other acts of worship that would allow us be closer to him. This practice is advised because mixing with people usually becomes a distraction and steers us away from the main objectives of doing I’tikaf, and the time spent would not be used to its fullest.
The Salaf used to also clean themselves and wear new and beautiful clothing during the last 10 nights of Ramadhan. Ibrahim An-Nakha’ie used to shower every night. Hammad ibn Salamah used to say that Tsabit Al-Bunani and Humaid At-Towil would wear their best clothes so that if they were to meet the night of Laylatul Qadr, they would be in their best state. Not only did they clean and dress themselves physically, but they did so spiritually as well.
Ibn Rejab Al-Hanbali said that the Salaf would ‘dress’ their spirituality with repentance to Allah S.W.T and cleanse themselves from sins. Beautifying oneself physically but ruining their spirituality with Allah accounts for nothing and would not bring any benefit.
Ibn Rejab Al-Hanbali also mentions that the Salaf used to exert all their efforts in performing righteous deeds, perfecting them and excelling in them. The acceptance of their deeds would be a huge concern for them for they feared that their efforts would not be accepted by Allah SWT.
Not only would they make Du’a six months in advanced so that were able to reach Ramadhan, they made Du’a even six months after in hopes that Allah s.w.t would accept their good deeds in Ramadhan.
“The allocated time should be invested in the Qur’an, Zikr, seeking Allah’s forgiveness and any other acts of worship that would allow us be closer to him. This practice is advised because mixing with people usually becomes a distraction and steers us away from the main objectives of doing I’tikaf, and the time spent would not be used to its fullest.”
The Salaf would abstain from anything that might nullify their deeds during Ramadhan. An example would be what Waki’ ibn Jarrah narrated from the sayings of Sufyan At-Tsauri :
عن وكيع قال: خرجنا مع سفيان الثوري في يوم عيد فقال: إن أول ما نبدأ به في يومنا غض أبصارنا
“We went out with Sufyan At-Tsauri during the day of Eid and he said “The first thing that we begin with on this day is to guard our eyes.”
The Salaf used to guard their eyes during the day of Eid from looking at women as they were afraid that the act might be the reason their deeds in of Ramadhan will not be accepted. This is something that the brothers should reflect on and ponder. It is indeed a sunnah for us all to wear our best clothes during Eid. It is no surprise that we see women in their adorning themselves in their best clothes. With this, we should guard our eyes from seeing all of that to protect our deeds in done in Ramadhan, so that it may be accepted and not go to waste.
Ramadhan to the Salaf was not merely about food for iftar and hunger or thirst. It was about forgiveness, a time to attain Allah’s rahmah (blessings), being devoted to the Qur’an, performing night prayers, going the extra mile to give sadaqah and a list of other good deeds.
May we strive to emulate the Salaf in the month of Ramadhan and every other month. We could start small and be consistent in all these various good deeds. May all of our deeds in this blessed month be accepted. Amin.
Wallahua’lam.
Resource: Lataiful Maarif
