3. Supplicating (Doa) Allah:

Focused your mind in remembering Allah thereafter doa to Him and ask whatsoever you want to. However, do not forget to ask for the safe passage in the hereafter. So doa to Him gently and with humility. Allah had commanded to the effect:

For my Lord is (always) near, ready to answer¹⁰⁴

When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he called on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way.¹⁰⁵

And your Lord says: “Call on Me; I will answer you.¹⁰⁶

Neither speaks thy prayer or supplication aloud, nor speaks it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between.¹⁰⁷

4. God-fearing:

The Holy Prophet had said that he knew Allah better than all his ummah and yet he feared Allah most.¹⁰⁸ Hence many companions when they thought of the Day of Reckoning they cried.¹⁰⁹ Some were heard to have said that it was better not to be born rather then meeting the Day of Reckoning.¹¹⁰ Still others were heard to have had said that it was better to be born a plant or bird or grass as they need not face the Day of Reckoning.¹¹¹

5. Reading the Quran

The Holy Prophet loved to read the Quran. Even in his non-obligatory act of worship, it is reported that he read 6 chapters of the Quran per act of worship. Such being the case, he would finish reading the whole Quran after only 5 acts of worship.¹¹² His companions too loved the Quran. On one occasion, someone complained to the Holy Prophet to advise one of the companions not to read Quran at night because each time he read he would cry and upon hearing his cry, they (being the neighbours) too would cry as such they could not sleep every night.¹¹³ They were occasions the companions cried and fainted upon reading certain verses of the Quran.¹¹⁴ There was also one companion who loved the Quran so much that he died (from assassination) whilst reading the Quran.¹¹⁵

And recite the Quran in slow, measured rhythmic tones.¹¹⁶

6. Fasting

Apart from fasting during the whole month of Ramadhan, the Holy Prophet also carried out the non-obligatory fasting. In addition, every time he went home after the dawn prayer and was told there was no food to partake, he would there and then utter his intention of fasting for that day. To this end, the Holy Prophet’s wife (Aishah) was reported to have said that their kitchen rarely smoked which meant that she hardly cooked because there was no food (to cook). Such being the case, our Holy Prophet must have been fasting almost every day.¹¹⁷ Hence, it was reported that on occasions when he was very hungry, he would place stones in between his garment and his stomach to placate the pang of hunger he was then enduring.¹¹⁸ So too the companions, they too fast the non-obligatory fasting and whenever they had no food to partake in the morning, they too would utter their intention of fasting that day. Many had to endure many days going without food. A companion was reported rolling on the ground because of hunger.¹¹⁹ Other companions were reported walking to and fro or jogging lightly to pacify their throbbing stomachs.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said to the effect:

Every deed of the sons of Adam belongs to him except fasting. Fasting is for Me and I shall reward him personally.¹²⁰

Indeed in Paradise there is a door known as “Rayyan”. It is a door in the hereinafter for those who fast to enter.¹²¹

A person who fast for a day just for his Lord shall have his countenance shielded from Hell akin that of a distance of 70 years journey.¹²²

It is not obligatory for a person to break his fast except in 5 days prohibited by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) which are: Idul Fitri, Idul Adha and (3) days of the Tasyriq.¹²³

7. Charitable

The Holy Prophet during his lifetime was very charitable and it was reported that one time a person asked from him the whole of his herd of sheep and he gave them to that person who was so moved to remark that the Holy Prophet was the most benevolent person.¹²⁴ Be that as it may, when the Holy Prophet was on his death bed, he recalled that there were a few monies still in his possession, immediately he asked his wife (Aishah) to give them way to charity and that what she did. Hence the Holy Prophet demised without leaving any kind of property whatsoever.¹²⁵ The Angel Gabriel had said to the effect:

I have not known any one more generous than the Holy Prophet of Allah (pbuh).¹²⁶

Similarly the companions followed the footstep of the Holy Prophet. One of the Companions was acknowledged to be most charitable.¹²⁷ He was once asked what he would leave for his family should he demise and he answered that he left for them Allah and the Holy Prophet.¹²⁸ Another Companion after hearing the command of Allah that a person will only be considered charitable if he gave in charity that which he loves most gave in charity his farm which was his prize possession.¹²⁹ Similarly, another Companion upon hearing that there was a dire need for water, bought a well and then donated it for the use of all. ¹³⁰

8. Renouncing worldly luxury

A Companion after entering the room in which the Holy Prophet was taking refuge cried to see that the room was bare of all luxury eventhough at that point of time Islamic states were brimming with luxury and to see that the Holy Prophet was lying on bed of leaves.¹³¹ The Holy Prophet was never deluded with worldly luxury. He had said that the world is but a prison for the God-fearing. Following closely in his footsteps were the Companions. A Companion eventhough holding an illustrious position was seen wearing a robe with 12 patches.¹³² Not only that he had only one garment and each time it was washed he had to wait until it was dried before he could leave his house.¹³³ Another Companion was seen wearing a tattered garment eventhough he was one of the illustrious Companions. ¹³⁴ Another illustrious Companion died with only a sheet of cloth to cover his body and if it covered his face his feet would be bare and vice versa. ¹³⁵

The Bibliography