The Condition of the Salaf in Ramadhan - Sheikh Saeh al-Fawzaan

The condition of the Salaf, as it is recorded in the narrated books with chains of narrations from the trustworthy people (narrating) from them is that they would ask Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى to make them reach Ramadhan before it entered; they would ask Allaah to make them reach the month of Ramadhan due to what they knew that it contained from abundant good and general benefit. Then, when Ramadhan entered, they would ask Allaah to aid them upon righteous actions therein. The when Ramadhan ended they would ask Allaah to accept it from them. As Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says:

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوا وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ

"And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning)."

(Al-Mu'minun 23:60)

They would strive hard in doing actions, then worry would afflict them, after the action, as to whether their action was accepted or not. That was due to their knowledge of the greatness of Allaah and their knowledge that Allaah does not accept except that (action) which is done purely for His face and correctly in accordance with the Sunnah of His Messenger from actions. So they would not purify themselves, and they would fear that their actions would be rendered null. So (worry) that they (the action) will be accepted was weightier with them than (even) the performance of them. This is because Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى:

إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

"Verily, Allâh accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqûn."

(Al-Ma'idah 5:27)

So they would devote their time within this month, as we have previously mentioned, to worship and would minimize actions of the Dunyaa. They would spend their time sitting in the houses of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى and they would say: We are safeguarding our fast and we will not backbite anyone. They would read the Mus-hafs and study the Book of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic. They would safeguard its time from squandering. They were not heedless or negligent as many of the people are today. Rather, they would preserve its time; the night, by standing (in prayer) and the day by fasting, recitation of the Qur’aan, the remembrance of Allaah, and righteous actions. They were not negligent therein of (even) a minute or a second, except that they would put forth therein righteous actions. This is the first question.