Tag: Sacred month of Muharram

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`Ashura’: History and Significance

There are many hadiths reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) in relation to `Ashura’. `Ashura’ is the tenth day of the month of Muharram, the first month in the Hijri calendar. When the word `Ashura’ is mentioned, people immediately think of one thing, i.e. fasting.

Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam. Muslims have to fast during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijri calendar. Apart from the obligatory fasting, Muslims are highly recommended to practice some other voluntary fastings such as fasting on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of each lunar month, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, fasting on the Day of `Arafah, etc.

Fasting on the month of Muharram is the best type of voluntary fasting. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.’” (Muslim)

The Significance of `Ashura’

Therefore, fasting during the month of Muharram is highly recommended in Islam. For this reason, fasting on the Day of `Ashura’ is greatly rewarded because first it falls in the month of Muharram and second it has a special significance in Islam.

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of `Ashura’. He asked them about that. They replied, “This is a good day, the day on which Allah rescued Bani Israel from their enemy. So, Moses fasted this day.” The Prophet said, “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, the Prophet  fasted on that day and ordered (the Muslims) to fast (on that day). (Al-Bukhari)

From Moses On

Based on this hadith, we can claim that fasting on the Day of `Ashura’ has its historical roots. It was practiced before the advent of Islam. The Prophet and his Companions used to fast on that day while they were in Makkah. Scholars maintain that it was an obligatory fasting and later when Allah commanded Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan, the Prophet asked someone to make it clear to people whoever wants to fast, he may fast and whoever wants not to fast there in nothing wrong with him.

Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) fasted this day. It was the day on which Allah the Almighty, out of His Mercy, rescued the Children of Israel from their enemy; Pharaoh and his army.

The story of Prophet Moses is repeated many times in the Qur’an because it has something in common with the story of Prophet Muhammad in terms of the hardships they both went through.

From day one Prophet Moses was put to test until he received divine revelation and since then the challenges became even huge. Prophet Moses was supported with many miracles, but his people did not follow his message. Pharaoh and his army plotted against him.

Prophet Moses was commanded by Allah to leave Egypt and go to Syria. I will let the Qur’an to summarize what happened and how Moses and the Children of Israel were saved:

We revealed to Moses, ‘Go out at night with My servants and strike a dry path for them across the sea. Have no fear of being overtaken and do not be dismayed.’ Pharaoh pursued them with his armies and was overwhelmed by the sea. Pharaoh truly led his people astray; he did not guide them. Children of Israel, We rescued you from your enemies. We made a pledge with you on the right-hand side of the mountain. We sent down manna and quails for you. (Ta-Ha 20:77-80)

This encounter happened on the 10th of Muharram. For this reason Prophet Moses and the Children of Israel used to fast on that day. What we learn from the story is that truth will prevail and falsehood will come to an end.

Following the habit of Prophet Moses strengthens in us the spirit of human brotherhood. The was the message that the Prophet wanted to convey from his words: “We have more claim over Moses than you.”

Back to the issue of fasting on the day of `Ashura, let me remind you of the great reward for observing fasting: Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire (of Hell) to the extent of seventy years’ distance.” (Muslim) Therefore, fasting will serve as a shield against Hellfire.

Levels of Fasting

Scholars view that there are three kinds of fasting on the occasion of `Ashura’. The best of which is to fast on the 9th, 10th and 11th of Muharram. Then comes the fasting on the 9th and 10th. Finally comes the fasting on the 10th of Muharram.

The Prophet is reported to have observed fasting on the 10th  and he said: “If I live next year, I shall also fast on the 9th day.” (Ahmad)

Odd Actions on the Day of `Ashura’

Some people spend generously on their children on the day of `Ashura’. Some decorate their houses. Some apply kohl. All these practices have no authentic evidence from the Prophet’s Sunnah.

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Acts of Worship New Muslims

Muharram and `Ashura’: History and Blessings

Allah’s sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri year (Islamic calendar which started with the Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah) and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says:

Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year) so was it ordained by Allah on the day when he created the Heaven and the Earth; of them four are Sacred – that is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein…. (At-Tawbah 9: 36)

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet said: “The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul-Qi`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab which comes between Jumada al-Thani and Sha`ban.” (Al-Bukhari)

Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (Muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity.

Allah’s words: so wrong not yourselves therein…. mean: do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months.

Ibn `Abbas said that the phrase “so wrong not yourselves therein….” referred to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.

Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said concerning the same phrase that wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and more sinful than wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but God gives more weight to whichever of His commands He wills.

God has chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from among the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He chose from within speech the remembrance of Him. He chose from upon the earth the mosques, from among the months Ramadan and the sacred months, from among the days Friday and from among the nights Laylat Al-Qadr, so venerate that which Allah has told us to venerate. People of understanding and wisdom venerate the things that Allah has told us to venerate. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

More Voluntary Fasts During Muharram

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.’” (Muslim)

The phrase “Allah’s month”, connecting the name of the month to the name of Allah in a genitive grammatical structure signifies the importance of the month. Al-Qari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The apparent meaning is all of the month of Muharram.” But it was proven that the Prophet never fasted any whole month apart from Ramadan, so this hadith (Prophetic narration) is probably meant to encourage increasing one’s fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast the entire month.

It was reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to fast more in Sha`ban. It is likely that the virtue of Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his life, before he was able to fast during this month.

Allah Chooses Whatever Times and Places He Wills

Al-`Izz ibn `Abd As-Salam said: “Times and places may be given preferred status in two ways, either temporal or religious/spiritual. With regard to the latter, this is because Allah bestows His generosity on His slaves at those times or in those places by giving a greater reward for deeds done, such as giving a greater reward for fasting in Ramadan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the day of `Ashura’ (the 10th of Muharram), the virtue of which is due to Allah’s generosity and kindness towards His slaves on that day…”

Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (Muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity.

`Ashura’ in History

Ibn `Abbas said: “The Prophet came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of `Ashura’. He said: ‘What is this?’ They (Jews) said: ‘This is a righteous day; it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Musa (Moses) fasted on this day.’ He said: ‘We have more right to Musa than you,’ so he fasted on that day and commanded (the Muslims) to fast on that day.” (Al-Bukhari)

The practice of fasting on `Ashura’ was known even in the days of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period), before the Prophet’s mission. It was reported that `Aishah said: “The people of Jahiliyyah used to fast on that day…”

Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Perhaps Quraish used to fast on that day on the basis of some past law, such as that of Ibrahim (Abraham).”

It was also reported that the Prophet used to fast on `Ashura’ in Makkah, before he migrated to Madinah. When he migrated to Madinah, he found the Jews celebrating this day, so he asked them why, and they replied as described in the Hadith quoted above. He commanded the Muslims to be different from the Jews, who took it as a festival.

Apparently the motive for commanding the Muslims to fast on this day was the desire to be different from the Jews, so that the Muslims would fast when the Jews did not, because people do not fast on a day of celebration.

Fasting on the day of `Ashura’ was a gradual step in the process of introducing fasting as a prescribed obligation in Islam. Fasting appeared in three forms. When the Messenger of Allah came to Madinah, he told the Muslims to fast on three days of every month and on the day of `Ashura’, then Allah made fasting obligatory in the verse: O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting … (Al-Baqarah 2:183)

The obligation was transferred from the fast of `Ashura’ to the fast of Ramadan, and this is one of the proofs in the field of Usool Al-Fiqh (Judicial fundamentals) that it is possible to abrogate a lighter duty in favor of a heavier duty.

The Virtues of Fasting `Ashura’  

Ibn `Abbas said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allah  so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of `Ashura’, and this month, meaning Ramadan.” (Al-Bukhari)

The meaning of his being keen was that he intended to fast on that day in the hope of earning the reward for doing so.

The Prophet said: “For fasting the day of `Ashura’, I hope that Allaah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.” (Muslim)

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Source: Islamweb.net 

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