Commemorating the Day of 'Ashura

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

In a few days, another big door will be opened for us to draw close to Allah Almighty. It is the 10th day of Muharram of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Day of 'Ashura. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) taught us to commemorate this day, primarily by fasting. Don't miss this tremendous opportunity.

It is a means for expiation of sins of the previous year. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

Fasting the day of 'Ashura' (is of great merits), I hope that Allah will accept it as an expiation for (the sins committed in) the previous year.

(Muslim)

We may ask: if we have already fasted the Day of `Arafah then Allah has already erased our sins in the previous and coming year so what more can be gained from fasting `Ashura’? Some of the scholars mention that continuously fasting both days leads to a deeper erasure of one’s wrongdoings, protection from falling into sin in the future and also has the effect of wiping out the wrongdoings of one’s family and neighbors.

Why does fasting the Day of `Arafah wipe out the sins of two years whereas fasting the day of `Ashura’ only wipes out the sins of one year? One reason, the scholars say, is that the Day of `Arafat is a day attributed to the Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, which is clearly superior to `Ashura’ which is attributed to Prophet Musa (peace be upon him).

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, also recommended that his Ummah also fast the day before or the day after so that our tradition be distinct from the tradition of the Jews.

It is reported in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad (Allah have mercy on him), from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

Fast the Day of `Ashura' and be different from the Jews by fasting a day before it or a day after it.

[Ahmad]

The Day of `Ashura has great virtue, and tremendous sanctity (hurma). The virtue of fasting it was known among the Prophets (peace be upon them all). Both Prophet Nuh and Prophet Musa (peace be upon them both) fasted it.

Several narrations point to the significance of this day from the earliest of times. It has been narrated that it was the day on which Allah forgave our father Adam, the day on which the Ark of Nuh came to rest on the mountain known as al-Judi and the day on which Allah forgave the people of Yunus (peace be upon him and all the Prophets).

The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to fast this day even in Makkah, though he had not yet ordered others to do so, as mentioned in both Bukhari and Muslim.

When he migrated to Madinah, and found the People of the Book fasting this day and venerating it, he ordered the Muslims to fast it, and encouraged it so much that even the children would fast it.

It has been reported in both Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him), that, when the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) reached Madina, he found the Jews fasting the Day of `Ashura, so he asked them, “What is this day you are fasting?” They said, “This is a tremendous day. Allah saved Musa and his people on this day and drowned Pharaoh and his people. Musa fasted it out of thanks, so we fast it too.” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “And we are more deserving of Musa than you are.” So he fasted this day, and ordered that it be fasted. [Bukhari & Muslim]

At the end of his life, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) made the determination not to fast this day alone, but with another day [either before or after it], in order to be different from the People of the Book.

It has been reported in the Sahih of Imam Muslim (Allah have mercy on him), also from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) that, “When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) fasted the Day of `Ashura and ordered his companions to fast it, they said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! This is a day that the Jews and Christians venerate.’ So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, ‘When next year comes - if Allah wills - we will fast the Ninth [of Muharram with it].’ But the next year did not come before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) passed away.” [Muslim & Abu Dawud]

We should also renew our repentance on `Ashura.’ The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that it is a day on which Allah allowed a certain people to repent and He will continue to allow others to do the same.

It was reported that the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to a man, “If you want to fast a month after Ramadhan, then fast Muharram, for it has a day in which Allah forgave an entire people, and He turns to others in repentance in.” [Tirmidhi]

It also recommended to give charity on this day.

It has been reported from Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As (Allah be pleased with him), that “Whoever fasts `Ashura, it is as if he has fasted the entire year. And whoever gives charity this day it is like the charity of an entire year.”

It has been narrated that if someone spends generously upon his family on the Day of `Ashura’ Allah will treat with him generosity for the rest of the year. Sufyan bin `Uyayna said, “We tried this for fifty years and all that we saw was good.” It has likewise been narrated that the one who gives charity on this day will have the reward of a whole year’s charity.

May Allah Most High accept our fasting, our charity and any good deeds, and erase our sins. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam