Thus, they were doing

Muslims knew the reward of offering food to fasting people because of the Prophet's saying: "He who provides a fasting person something with which to break his fast will earn the same reward as the one who was observing the fast, without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter." [Reported by Imam Ahmad, An-Nasa'y, At-Tirmidhy, and Ibn Majah].

Knowing the practice of the Pious Predecessors in this regard sharpens the vigor to imitate them.

Many of the Pious Predecessors used to show kindness to the people by offering some food to the fasting people from the food which they had used it for breaking their own fasting or give it all while sleeping with empty stomach.

For example:

• Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to break his fast along with the needy, and whenever his family prevented him from doing that, he would sleep that night without dinner.

• When a beggar would come to him while he was eating, he would take his share of food and give it to the beggar, so he would go back to his family after they had eaten all the food, then he would become fasting until the next day.

• A beggar came to Imam Ahmad (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) asking for food, so the Imam gave him two loaves of bread which he was preparing for breaking his own fast then he slept without eating anything until the next day.

• Imam Az-Zuhry (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) used to say when Ramadan came: "Ramadan is for reciting the Qur'an and feeding the poor."

• Al Hasan Al Basry (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) used to feed his Muslim brothers while he was fasting and used to entertain them while they were eating.

• `Abdullah ibn Al Mubarak (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) used to feed his Muslim brothers different kinds of food while he was fasting.

• Imam Ash-Shafi`y (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) loved that a person increases his charity during Ramadan to follow the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and because of people's needs and their frequent business with Salah and fasting than earning their pennies.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us from His Mercy, for He is the All-Giver, and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad.