Virtues of Sacred Month of Muharram

Muharram is the 1st month of the Hijri year. This month is one of the 4 months ordained by Allah as sacred, namely, Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qa'da and Dhul Hijja. No crimes of injustice, oppression or fighting is permitted in these months. In the month of Muharram, many major events in the history of Allah's Prophets has taken place and so is a month of great blessings. 

On the 10th of this particular month, Musa عليه السّلام and his nation of Israelites were saved from the tyrant Fir'oun (Pharoah) through the partition of the River Nile, giving the miraculous way of escape for Musa عليه السّلام and his people and thereby drowning Fir'oun and his army while their deadly pursuit of Prophet Musa عليه السّلام and his people. So, as a tribute to mark this great escape and rescue from Allah, they take fast every Muharram 10th. When Prophet Mohammad صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّمlearnt of this annual fasting on this day celebrating their freedom at the leadership of Prophet Musa عليه السّلام, he, by Allah's leave, advised the Muslims to fast on the 10th and 9th of Muharram to be different from the Jews. 

1. 09 Muharram
2. 10 Muharram (Aashooraa) 

Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم said: "The best of fasting after Ramadan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram."

Allah’s sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says :

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ 

“Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein…” [soorah at-Tawbah, v:36]

It was reported that Ibn 'Abbas رضي الله عنه said that this 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.

THE VIRTUE OF OBSERVING MORE NAAFIL FASTS DURING MUHARRAM:

Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه said: “The Messenger of Allah صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.'”

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. This hadeeth is probably meant to encourage increasing one’s fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast for the entire month.

FASTING ON 'AASHOORAA':

Ibn 'Abbas رضي الله عنه said: “The Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم 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 Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Musa 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.” 

Fasting on the day of 'Aashooraa’ was obligatory, but when fasting Ramadan was made obligatory, the obligation to fast 'Aashooraa’ was lifted, i.e., it was no longer obligatory to fast on this day, but it is still desirable (mustahabb).

THE VIRTUES OF FASTING 'AASHOORAA:

Ibn 'Abbaas رضي الله عنه said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allah صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of 'Aashooraa’, and this month, meaning Ramadan.” 

The Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم said: “For fasting the day of 'Aashooraa’, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.” 

This is from the bounty of Allah towards us: for fasting one day He gives us expiation for the sins of a whole year. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty.

NOT RELYING TOO MUCH ON THE REWARD FOR FASTING IT:

Some people who are deceived rely too much on things like fasting on 'Aashooraa’ or the day of  'Arafaah, to the extent that some of them say, “Fasting on 'Aashooraa’ will expiate for the sins of the whole year, and fasting on the day of 'Arafaah will bring extra rewards.”

Ibn al-Qayyim said: ‘This misguided person does not know that fasting in Ramadan and praying five times a day are much more important than fasting on the day of 'Arafaah and 'Aashooraa’, and that they expiate for the sins between one Ramadan and the next, or between one Friday and the next, so long as one avoids major sins. But they cannot expiate for minor sins unless one also avoids major sins; when the two things are put together, they have the strength to expiate for minor sins.

WHICH DAY IS 'AASHOORAA’?

Ibn 'Abbaas رضي الله عنه said: ‘The Messenger of Allah صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم commanded us to fast 'Aashooraa’, the tenth day of Muharram.” 

IT IS MUSTAHABB (ENCOURAGED) TO FAST TAASOO'AA’ WITH 'AASHOORAA':

'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Abbaas رضي الله عنه said: “When the Messenger of Allah صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم fasted on 'Aashooraa’ and commanded the Muslims to fast as well, they said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.’

The Messenger of Allah صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم said: “If I live to see the next year, inshaa’ Allah, we will fast on the ninth day too.” But it so happened that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.S) passed away before the next year came.”

Al-Shaafa'ee and his companions, Ahmad, Is-haaq and others said: “It is mustahabb to fast on both the ninth and tenth days, because the Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم 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. And the more one fasts in Muharram, the better it is.

FASTING ONLY ON THE DAY OF 'AASHOORAA’:

Shaykh al-Islaam said: “Fasting on the day of 'Aashoraa’ is an expiation for a year, and it is not makrooh to fast only that day”. 

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami said: “There is nothing wrong with fasting only on 'Aashooraa’.” 

The Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatawa said: “It is permissible to fast the day of 'Aashooraa’. (tenth day of Muharram) just one day, however, it is better to fast the day before it or the day after it (also)”. 

BID'AHS COMMON ON 'AASHOORAA':

On this day, some are wearing kohl (decoration of eyes with antimony powder), taking a ghusl (ritual bath), wearing henna, shaking hands with one another, cooking grains, showing happiness...which is normally a part of one's regular life...but the problem lies in the intention of these acts. One who does the above and various other acts symbolizing celebration, intending it as a special occasion that has not been sanctioned by our Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم, then it amounts to innovation in Islam, which has been rejected through the following :

Allah says in the interpretation of the meaning of the Quran : “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favorupon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [Noble Quran 5:4]Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) says in this respect: “He who innovates something that is not in agreement with our matter(religion), will have it rejected.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “…Verily he among you who lives [long] will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khalifahs – cling to them stubbornly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray, and every going astray is in Hell-fire.” [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]

They also reported a fabricated hadith that is falsely attributed to the Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم, which says, “Whoever is generous to his family on the day of 'Aashooraa’, Allah will be generous to him for the rest of the year.” Reporting all of this from the Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم is tantamount to lying.’

Nothing to that effect has been reported in any sahih hadith from the Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم or from his Companions. None of the imaams of the Muslims encouraged or recommended such things, neither the four imaams, nor any others. No reliable scholars have narrated anything like this, neither from the Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم nor from the Sahaabah, nor from the Taabi'een; neither in any sahih report or in a da'eef (weak) report.

We ask Allah to make us followers of the Sunnah of His Noble Prophet صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم and may Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad صلّی اللہ علیه وسلّم and all his family and companions.