EXPERIENCING RAMADAN THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET

 

The life of the Prophet Muhammad is an example that all Muslims strive to follow. Understanding revelation and performing acts of worship in the best possible way becomes meaningful by looking at his life and taking his actions as guidance. In order to spend the month of Ramadan, which all Muslims welcome with excitement, in the most fruitful way and to better understand its significance, we should look more closely at the life of the Prophet.

The month of Ramadan is important in many respects. The Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation from Allah in the year 610 during this month. On the night known as Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree), acts of worship are believed to be multiplied in reward. When he received the first revelation, the Prophet was forty years old. He had withdrawn to the Cave of Hira for contemplation and worship. One night, the angel Gabriel came to him and delivered the first revelation with the command: “Read!”

Read in the name of your Lord who created,

Created man from a clinging substance.

Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous,

Who taught by the pen,

Taught man that which he knew not.

[The Qur’an 96:1–5]

Fasting during the month of Ramadan was made obligatory in the year 624.

The Prophet Muhammad spoke frequently about the virtues of Ramadan and its benefits for Muslims. He said that during this month the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained. Every good deed performed is rewarded many times over, and sins are forgiven.

His Moral Conduct

Fasting is not merely a physical act of worship. On the contrary, if a person does not abandon bad behavior, fasting becomes nothing more than hunger and thirst. The Prophet emphasized that people should be especially careful to avoid lying, gossiping, speaking harshly, and engaging in arguments. He always spoke what was true and good, not only during Ramadan, but throughout his entire life.

He was even more generous during Ramadan. In Islam, charity (sadaqah), whether given through money, food, or kind actions, is highly valued. Charity returns to the giver with multiplied blessings. In this month, when blessings are increased, the Prophet encouraged people to give charity and he himself did so at every opportunity.

Before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, a specific charity known as Zakat al-Fitr (or Sadaqat al-Fitr) was given. The Prophet would remind his companions not to neglect this charity. It was usually given in the form of staple foods of that time, such as dates or barley, and distributed to those in need.

The Prophet also stated that whoever provides food for a fasting person to break their fast will receive a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without diminishing the reward of the one who fasted. He himself would host guests for iftar whenever possible.

Whoever provides food for a fasting person to break his fast, then he will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the fasting person’s reward in the slightest. [Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi 807]

He Never Neglected Suhoor and Iftar

The Prophet never neglected suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) or iftar (breaking the fast). He said that there is blessing (barakah) in suhoor and encouraged his companions to delay it until shortly before dawn (but before the time of prayer entered). However, at sunset, he would hasten to break his fast and perform the evening prayer without unnecessary delay.

He would supplicate abundantly before and while breaking his fast. One of the supplications he made is still recited by many Muslims today:

O Allah, for You I have fasted, in You I have believed, and with Your provision I break my fast. [Abu Dawud, Book of Fasting 22; Hadith 2358]

He would usually break his fast with fresh dates; if those were not available, then with dried dates; and if there were none, he would drink water. Despite the hunger, he avoided excess and did not seek special or luxurious meals.

He Recited the Qur’an Frequently

The Prophet always recited the Qur’an abundantly. However, during Ramadan he increased his recitation even more. He would recite alone and also together with his companions. Every year until his death, he would review the Qur’an with the angel Gabriel in a mutual recitation (known as muqabalah). In the year of his passing, this review is reported to have taken place twice.

He Prayed Extensively

During Ramadan, the Prophet did not withdraw completely from daily life, nor did he neglect his rest. However, he would sleep little at night and spend much of it in prayer and seeking forgiveness. He did not abandon the voluntary night prayer in Ramadan (known as Tarawih). At times he led it in congregation, but he later advised people to pray it at home out of concern that it might become obligatory upon them.

He Observed Iʿtikaf

During the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet would enter into iʿtikaf (spiritual retreat). A small tent was set up for him in the mosque. Except for necessary matters, he would not leave the mosque during this period. While in iʿtikaf, he would sometimes roll up his mat and speak to his companions from the entrance of his tent.

Ramadan is a month in which the spiritual atmosphere deepens and becomes more intense. Through fasting, prayer, charity, and reflection, believers seek to draw closer to Allah. Experiencing Ramadan in the light of the Prophet Muhammad’s example transforms this closeness into something more conscious and meaningful. His balance between worship and daily life, his generosity, his moral refinement, and his devotion at night show that Ramadan is not only about abstaining from food and drink, but about disciplining the soul and nurturing the heart.

To live Ramadan as he lived it is to combine sincerity with action, worship with character, and devotion with compassion. By looking at his life, Muslims do not merely commemorate a sacred month, they learn how to embody it.