Virtues of Ramadan Pt 11

In the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Ramadan was not a month of sleeping through the day and feasting at night — it was a month of the most decisive action in Islamic history. From the Battle of Badr to the Conquest of Mecca, the most transformative events in the life of the Prophet and his companions occurred while they were fasting, proving that Ramadan is meant to propel believers into action, not put them to sleep.

The Prophet’s Ramadan Was a Month of Movement

Many Muslims today have inverted the prophetic model of Ramadan. They sleep from Fajr to Asr, emerge for iftar, stay up all night, and repeat. But the Prophet (peace be upon him) was active during the day and devoted to worship at night. In nine consecutive years of fasting in Madinah, he demonstrated that Ramadan is a time of increased activity — spiritually, intellectually, and even militarily.

“In the time of the Prophet, fasting was a time of increased activity. But in many parts of the Muslim world today, people hibernate in their bedrooms all day and come out only at night. This is not the Sunnah.”

Historic Events During the Prophet’s Ramadan

• Battle of Badr (2 AH, 17th Ramadan): The most decisive confrontation between truth and falsehood in Islamic history — Allah separated righteousness from evil while the Muslims were fasting
• Prescription of Zakat (2 AH): The obligation of purifying wealth was established during Ramadan
• Battle of the Trench (5 AH): In cold weather during Ramadan, the Prophet dug the trench himself and prophesied the opening of Persia and Rome
• Conquest of Mecca (8 AH, 21st Ramadan): The Prophet entered Mecca humbly, lowering his head on his riding animal, liberating the city without arrogance
• Events of Tabuk (9 AH): Muslims marched through severe desert heat to confront the Roman army in the month of Ramadan
• People of Ta’if accept Islam (9 AH): The very people who once stoned the Prophet entered Islam during Ramadan in Madinah

“Even though the weather was very cold, the Prophet was the one who showed the way. When they found a stone they couldn’t break, he struck it and said: ‘I see the opening of Persia.’ He was optimistic even in the most difficult circumstances — in the month of Ramadan.”

Ramadan Is Our Time to Act

The message from the Prophet’s example is clear: Ramadan is not a time to retreat from the world but to engage with it at the highest level. Whether through dawah, community service, seeking knowledge, or standing up against injustice, every Muslim should use the blessed month to come out of themselves and give the blessings of Ramadan to all of humanity. This is the spirit that made the early Muslims unstoppable — and it is available to every believer today.