door, calling out: "O honourable folk! I am poor, I am hungry." Moved by compassion, these blessed personalities gave all their bread to the poor man and broke their fast only with water. 

On the second day, they fasted again. At ifṭār time, just as they were about to eat, someone knocked on the door and a voice called out, saying: "I am an orphan, I am hungry." Once again, these generous souls gave away all their food to the orphan and broke their fast with water.

On the third day, the same happened. Just as ifṭār approached, a prisoner knocked on the door, pleading: "I am a captive, I am hungry." For the third consecutive day, these noble individuals gave away all their bread and had nothing but water for ifṭār.^[1]

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه The Ahl al-Bayt fasted for three days, breaking their fast with only water. Their sacrifices were so beloved to Allah Almighty that He revealed verses 8 and 9 of Sūrat al-Dahr about them:

وَ یُطۡعِمُوۡنَ الطَّعَامَ عَلٰی حُبِّہٖ مِسۡکِیۡنًا وَّ  یَتِیۡمًا  وَّ  اَسِیۡرًا ﴿۸﴾ اِنَّمَا نُطۡعِمُکُمۡ لِوَجۡہِ اللّٰہِ لَا نُرِیۡدُ مِنۡکُمۡ جَزَآءً   وَّ  لَا  شُکُوۡرًا ﴿۹﴾

And they offer food, in His love, to the destitute and the orphan and the prisoner. “We only feed you for the sake of Allah, we do not desire recompense from you nor gratitude.^[2]

O those who love Allah’s Messenger! How should Ramadan be spent? This question might arise in our minds every year upon sighting the moon of Ramadan. This beautiful story from the blessed household of Lady Fāṭimah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا has provided a beautiful answer—Ramadan is