Thread: Month of Muharram and Fasting the day of Ashoura

The Month of Muharram and Fasting on the Day of`Ashoorah

u Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear brothers and sisters, we are now in the Islamic Month of Muharram, this is the first month of the Islamic year.

It is a month which after Ramadhan is one of the best months to fast in.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadaan is fasting Allaah’s month of Muharram.’” (reported by Muslim, 1982).


The phrase “Allaah’s month”, connecting the name of the month to the name of Allaah in a genitive grammatical structure, signifies the importance of the month. Al-Qaari said: “The apparent meaning is all of the month of Muharram.”

But it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any whole month apart from Ramadan, so this hadeeth is probably meant to encourage increasing one’s fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast for the entire month.

And it is from the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to 10th of this month.

The 10th of Muharram is the day of Ashura, but the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us also to fast one day before, to be different from the Yahud, the Jews.

Ashura is an important day in history. As Allah (the most High) saved the Prophet Musa (Moses) (peace be upon him) and the believers from the evil of the Pharaoh.

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“It expiates (the sins) of the past year.” [Muslim]

Ibn `Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

“I never saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) so keen to make sure he fasted any day and preferring it over another except this day, the day of `Ashoorah....” [Al-Bukhaari]

The reason as to why the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen on fasting and urging others to fast on this day, has been explained in some ahaadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of `Ashurah. He said to them:

`What is this fast?`

They said:

`A great day. Allah saved Moses(A.S) and the tribes of Israel from their enemies on this day and therefore, Moses fasted on this day.`

The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:`We have more of a right to Moses than you,` so he(may Allah be pleased with him) fasted on that day also and ordered the believers to fast on that day."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

The blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)also made the intention to fast on the 9th of Muharram before he passed away. Muslim narrated that he(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

"When the coming year comes, if Allaah wills, we (also) will fast the ninth (of Muharram)."

Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“The next year did not come except that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had passed away.”

Imam An-Nawawee (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Some of the scholars have said: ‘Perhaps the reason for fasting on the ninth and the tenth is that so it does not resemble the Jews in their singling out of the tenth.’ ”[Sharh Saheeh Muslim Li-Nawawee]

So I call you to hold onto the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by fasting these days, so that you may have your previous year's sins expiated, inshaa' Allaah. And urge others to this act of obedience, that you may also benefit from the reward.

We must cling onto every Sunnah as we can, for the Muslims must be those who adhere strongly to the Quran and the Sunnah.