‘Aashooraa’ 10th day of Muharram

Assalamualikum,

As many of you know, this Saturday and Sunday (26th and 27th Dec) will be the 9th and 10th of Muharram. Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar Hijrah Calendar.

The Prophet (SAW) has said: "The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram."
Although Muharram is a sanctified month as a whole, the 10th day of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days. The day is named 'Ashoora'.

The Prophet (SAW) said, “Fasting the day of Ashoora (is of great merits), I hope that Allah will accept it as an expiation for (the sins committed in) the previous year” (Muslim).

It is more advisable that the fast of Ashoora should be preceded by another fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram, which would be Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th of December 2009.


‘Aashooraa’ in History
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of ‘Aashooraa’. He said, ‘What is this?’ They said, ‘This is a righteous day, it is the day when Allaah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, (when Allah split the sea so Moosa and his people could cross, but Fira'un was drowned) so Moosa fasted on this day.’ He said, ‘We have more right to Moosa than you,’ so he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1865).


The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For fasting the day of ‘Aashooraa’, I hope that Allaah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.” (Reported by Muslim, 1976). This is from the bounty of Allaah towards us: for fasting one day He gives us expiation for the sins of a whole year. And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty.


It is mustahabb (encouraged) to fast Taasoo’aa’ with ‘Aashooraa’
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on ‘Aashooraa’ and commanded the Muslims to fast as well, they said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, it is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘If I live to see the next year, in sha Allaah, we will fast on the ninth day too.’ But it so happened that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed away before the next year came.” (Reported by Muslim, 1916).
Al-Shaafa'i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaaq and others said: “It is mustahabb to fast on both the ninth and tenth days, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on the tenth, and intended to fast on the ninth.”
On this basis it may be said that there are varying degrees of fasting ‘Aashooraa’, the least of which is to fast only on the tenth and the best of which is to fast the ninth as well. The more one fasts in Muharram, the better it is.


The reason why it is mustahabb to fast on Taasoo’aa’
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The scholars – our companions and others – mentioned several reasons why it is mustahabb to fast on Taasoo’aa’:
1. the intention behind it is to be different from the Jews, who only venerate the tenth day. This opinion was reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas…
2. the intention is to add another day’s fast to ‘Aashooraa’. This is akin to the prohibition on fasting a Friday by itself, as was mentioned by al-Khattaabi and others.
3. To be on the safe side and make sure that one fasts on the tenth, in case there is some error in sighting the crescent moon at the beginning of Muharram and the ninth is in fact the tenth.”
The strongest of these reasons is being different from the People of the Book. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade imitating the People of the Book in many ahaadeeth, for example, his words concerning ‘Aashooraa’:
‘If I live until the next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth day.’” (al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 6, Sadd al-Dharaa’i’ al-Mufdiyah ila’l-Mahaarim )


I encourage everyone that is able to, to fast on these two days insh’Allah. It is a time to ask Allah swt for forgiveness for all the sins committed in the past year. I would also like to take this opportunity to ask you too, to forgive me for my mistakes, my faults and my shortcomings over the past year (and more!).