As many of you know, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture; celebrated by more than 1.8 billion Muslims the world over. But have you ever wondered about what it would be like to spend Ramadan like our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)? Some people might find it impossible to imagine. After all, this is the same person who stood up all night praying for us almost 1400 years ago. Trying to emulate our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) might not be such an arduous task, and to help you out, here are 8 etiquettes of Ramadan according to the Prophet that you can practice this month to feel just that bit closer to him.
8 Habits Of The Prophet To Adopt This Ramadan
1. Have Sahoor
The first thing on our list of etiquettes is taking sahoor (pre-dawn meal). In a lot of cases, waking up for the pre-dawn meal can be a little taxing; especially if you’re a bit of a night owl and tend to sleep late. It’s all too tempting to just have a big dinner or a small snack after taraweeh and sleep through Sahoor completely, but as narrated in Sahih Bukhari Anas bin Malik raḍy Allāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him);
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1923)
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So, the next time you feel like skipping out on Sahoor in order to catch more sleep, keep in mind that our Beloved Prophet used to take sahoor and would urge his Ummah to have it as well due to its immense blessings.
2. Perform Fajr Prayers at the Mosque
Credits: Arian Zwegers on Flickr
Did you know that our beloved Prophet would start of his day by praying Fajr with congregation at the mosque? So, instead of going back to sleep right after the pre-dawn meal (and yes, we know how tempting it is!), why not emulate our beloved Prophet by heading to the nearest mosque to perform your own Fajr prayers in congregation. As narrated by Jundub bin Sufyan raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him):
''The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who offers the dawn (Fajr) prayers will come under the Protection of Allah. O son of Adam! Beware, lest Allah should call you to account in any respect from (for withdrawing) His Protection." (Riyad as-Salihin 1049).
Credit: Preston Rhea on Flickr
Some scholars are of mind that the virtue of entering the protection of Allah mentioned in this hadeeth only applies to the ones who prays Fajr in congregation. So, it wouldn’t hurt to have your bases covered this Ramadan.
3. Engage in Acts of Generosity and Charity
Besides fasting, abstaining from pleasures and deepening our bonds with Allah SWT, Ramadan is also about charity and remembering the poor and the situation they’re currently living in. It’s a time for us to truly come together and offer aid to our Muslim brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than ourselves.
It had been said that throughout Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would engage in acts of generosity and charity; constantly giving Sadaqah and urging his companions to do so as well. As narrated by Ibn Abbas raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him):
''The Prophet (ﷺ) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur'an with him. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then used to be more generous than the fast wind.'' (Sahih al-Bukhari 3554).
It was noted that although the Prophet was known as the most benevolent amongst the people, his benevolence markedly increased during the sacred month of Ramadan. Look out for community causes you can donate to, such as Singapore's #SGUnited Buka Puasa initiative, or donate to international campaigns such as the UNHCR's Ramadan drive to help Muslims and the vulnerable worldwide.
4. Manage your temper
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When you’re fasting, it’s not unusual for you to feel the faintest bit ‘hangry’ (hungry and angry); leading you to become irritable and snappy ?. In fact, it’s quite normal as your brain needs fuel to regulate emotions and out of all the emotions you have, anger is the hardest to control. That being said, Ramadan is a great opportunity for you to practice more God-consciousness, which can lead to better self-control. As narrated by Abu Hurayra, the Prophet once said,
''Fast is a shield ; when one of you is fasting, he should neither behave in an obscene manner nor foolishly. If a man fights or abuses him, he should say: I am fasting, I am fasting.'' (Sunan Abi Dawud 2363).
So, whenever you’re put in a stressful situation that would usually make you angry or upset, simply use this opportunity to calm down and breathe. Take a step back and practice some restraints. Rest assured, that the reward for managing your anger instead of lashing out will be far greater and more fulfilling in this life and the next.
5. Khatm al-Qur’an
As you know, Ramadan is the month when the Qur’an was sent down. The Prophet and his companions used to read and recite the Qur’an like no other during this holy month. In fact, Ramadan was the only month in which the Prophet would Khatm al-Quran (recitation of the Holy Qur'an from beginning to the end) in one-night! As reported by Aisha raḍyAllāhu 'anha (may Allāh be pleased with her):
“I do not know that the Messenger of Allah recited the whole Quran in one night, or prayed Qiyam until morning, or ever fasted an entire month, except Ramadan.” (Sunan an-Nasa'i 2348)
Now realistically speaking, trying to Khatm al-Qur'an is a noble pursuit but not all of us can do it in a singular night. Instead of overwhelming yourself, try setting up realistic Qur’an memorization targets such as a certain number of Surahs within a night, or aiming to finish 1 Juz per night. This guide will help you figure out how you can finish reading the Qur'an by the end of the month! At the end of Ramadan, you’ll definitely feel much more accomplished.
6. Do not delay Iftar
When it comes to the breaking of the fast, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has instructed us through many hadiths to not delay it. As narrated from Sahl ibn Sa’d, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“The people will continue to do well so long as they hasten to break the fast.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2353).
The Prophet understood that by the time evening rolled down, our energy levels would be depleted ?. That is why he used to hastened his companions to have iftar as there was no reward in delaying breaking the fast. In addition, they all lived rather simple and frugal lives; their tables free from adornment or extra food.
Credits: GIPHY
So, if you’re the type that tends to overindulge at the Ramadan bazaars and ‘All You Can Eat Buffets’, keep in mind that you don’t want your focus to shift from the spirit of fasting to the meal itself. P.S. Tired of cooking all of your meals? Why not order delivery for an amazing iftar meal in Singapore or Malaysia? Or make one of these delicious recipes from across Indonesia (note: article is in Bahasa Indonesia).
7. Participate in Taraweeh Prayers
If you’re fortunate enough to be able to join a congregational night prayer and Taraweeh at your local mosque or surau, do not hesitate to do so. For those of you who are curious, the Taraweeh is a twenty-cycle voluntary prayer that is reserved only for the nights of Ramadan.
It is said that The Prophet used to lead the night prayers at the mosque before proceeding with Taraweeh. As narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“Whoever prays during the night in Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven. Agreed upon.”
But, if for some reason you are incapable of joining a congregational prayer at the mosque, do not be disheartened! You can still pray the Taraweeh prayers at home. Here's a useful guide to praying Taraweeh at home! You can even find this guide in Bahasa Indonesia too.
8. Make dua for others
If your schedule is usually jam-packed with business meetings and social events, it can be hard to find some time to meet up and connect with your friends and loved ones. So, whenever a person crosses your mind (even if one of them is someone you’re currently in disagreement with), take a moment to make dua (supplication) for them. As narrated by Abu Al-Darda', the Prophet (PBUH) once said:
“When a Muslim supplicates for his absent brother the angels say: Amin, and may you receive the like.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1534).
Making dua for others is a simple yet beautiful way to gain spiritual peace and serenity during Ramadan as it can soften our hearts, and lessen any ill feelings we might have towards a person. So, whenever you find yourself with some downtime, take a moment to make dua for the wonderful people in your life ❤️ And with that we conclude our list of 8 Etiquettes of Ramadan According to The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Looking back on the items mentioned on the list, they don’t seem too impossible to do, right? So, why not make this coming Ramadan that much more special by putting some of these lessons into practice and try to walk a mile in our Prophet’s shoes ☺️