The righteous predecessors (the Salaf), may Allah be pleased with them, were very keen on pleasing Allah in any way they can and draw nearer to Him by means of performing different types of righteous deeds. They were more so during the blessed month of Ramadan because of its special status in Islam.
Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.} [Quran 2: 185]
Allah The Almighty has distinguished the month of Ramadan from other months with many characteristics and virtues. They include the following:
The breath of the fasting person is better in the sight of Allah The Almighty than the fragrance of musk.
The angels keep asking Allah The Almighty to forgive the fasting persons until they break their fast.
Allah The Almighty decorates His Paradise everyday and says: "My righteous servants are about to be rid of burdens and harms and then move to you."
The devils are fettered.
The gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed.
There is Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Divine Decree) which is better than one thousand months. Whoever is deprived from the blessings of this night has been deprived from all goodness.
The fasting people are forgiven on the last night of Ramadan.
Allah The Almighty frees many people from Hell on each night of Ramadan.
Dear brother and sister,
These being the characteristics and virtues of this month, how do we receive it? Do we receive it with indulging in means of entertainment, by staying up late unnecessarily, with annoyance at its advent and rejection of its blessings? We seek refuge in Allah from all this. The righteous servant, instead, receives Ramadan with sincere repentance and sincere determination to utilize it and spend his time in doing righteous deeds.
There are many righteous deeds that are enjoined during Ramadan, but the most important of which is fasting.
It was narrated that the Prophet said: "Every act of the son of Adam is for him, every good deed is multiplied in reward by ten times up to seven hundred times. Allah The Exalted said: 'Except fasting. It is (exclusively) meant for Me and I (alone) will reward it. He has abstained from food and drink, and sexual pleasures for My sake.’ The fasting person has two occasions for joy, one when he breaks his fast and the other when he meets his Lord. Surely, the breath of one who observes fasting smells better in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
In another Hadeeth, the Prophet said: "Whoever observes fasting during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain the reward of Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Undoubtedly, this great reward is not for a person who abstains only from food and drink; rather, it is as the Prophet said: "Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allah does not need him to give up his food and drink." [Al-Bukhari]
In this context, the Prophet added: "Fasting is a shield (from Hell). If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual activity, disobedience and quarreling. If someone insults him, he should say, 'I am fasting, I am fasting.'" [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
O servant of Allah, when you are fasting, you should do so with your entire body – your hearing, sight, tongue and all the parts of your body. You should not make the day when you are fasting similar to the day when you are not.