In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin a new Islamic new year. The New Year represents a period for self-reflection, remembrance, gratitude and historical awareness.
The meaning of the word “Muharram” means “Forbidden.” Even before Islam, this month was always known as a sacred month in which all unlawful acts were forbidden, prominently the shedding of blood.
Muharram is one of the four sanctified months about which Allah Almighty says,
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٣٦[Qur'an, At-Tawba 9:36]
Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him]. (36)
Abu Bakarah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumadah and Sha'ban." [Bukhari]
The specific mention of these four months does not mean that any other month has no sanctity, because the month of Ramadhan is admittedly the most sanctified month in the year. But these four months were specifically termed as sanctified months for the simple reason that their sanctity was accepted even by the pagans of Makkah.
In fact, every month, out of the twelve, is originally equal to the other, and there is no inherent sanctity, which may be attributed to one of them in comparison to other months. When Allah Almighty chooses a particular time for His special blessings, then it acquires sanctity out of His grace.
Allah Chooses Whatever Times and Places He Wills
Al-'Izz ibn 'Abdus-Salam (may Allah have mercy on him) 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 Ramadhan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the day of 'Ashura', the virtue of which is due to Allah's generosity and kindness towards His slaves on that day … " [Qawa'id al-Ahkam, 1/38]
There are many bounties of this month, especially the tenth of Muharram.
On this day he who spends more lavishly for the sake of his family members, Allah will bestow blessing upon the sustenance of the following year.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has said: “The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram.”
Although the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, yet, the one who fasts in these days out of his own will and choice is entitled to a great reward by Allah Almighty. The Hadith cited above signifies that the fasts of the month of Muharram are most reward-able ones among the Nafl fasts i.e. the fasts one observes out of his own choice without being obligatory on him.
The Hadith does not mean that the reward promised for fasts of Muharram can be achieved only by fasting for the whole month. On the contrary, each fast during this month has merit. Therefore, one should avail of this opportunity as much as he can.
Fasting on the Day of 'Ashura:
Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "I never saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of 'Ashura', and this month, meaning Ramadhan." [Bukhari, 1867]
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 (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "For fasting the day of 'Ashura', I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before." [Muslim, 1976]
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.
According to another Hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of 'Ashura should either be prefixed or suffixed by another fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9th an 10th of Muharram or the 10th and 11th of it. The reason of this additional fast as mentioned by the Prophet is that the Jews used to fast on the day of 'Ashura alone, and the Prophet wanted to distinguish the Islamic-way of fasting from that of Jews. Therefore, he advised the Muslims to add another fast to that of 'Ashura.
History of Fasting on the Day of 'Ashura:
Although the month of Muharram is a sanctified month as a whole, yet, the 10th day of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days.
According to the companion Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with father and son). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), when migrated to Madinah, found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Prophet Musa and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously and the Pharaoh was drowned in its water.
On hearing this from the Jews, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “We are more closely related to Musa than you” and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of 'Ashura. (Abu Dawood)
It is also reported in a number of authentic traditions that in the beginning, fasting on the day of 'Ashura was obligatory for the Muslims.
It was later that the fasts of Ramadhan were made obligatory and the fast on the day of 'Ashura was made optional. Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) has said: "When the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came to Madinah, he fasted on the day of 'Ashura and directed the people to fast it. But when the fasts of Ramadhan were made obligatory, the obligation of fasting was confined to Ramadan and the obligatory nature of the fast of 'Ashura was abandoned. One can fast on this day, if he so wills, or can avoid fasting, if he so wills.”
However, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to fast on the day of 'Ashura even after the fasting in Ramadhan was made obligatory.
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) preferred the fast of 'Ashura to the fast of other days and preferred the fast of Ramadhan to the fast of 'Ashura. (Bukhari and Muslim)
In short, it is established through a number of authentic hadith that fasting on the day of 'Ashura is Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and makes one entitled to a great reward.
Not Relying Too Much on the Reward for Fasting
Some people who are deceived rely too much on things like fasting on 'Ashura' or the day of 'Arafah.
Ibn al-Qayyim said: "This misguided person does not know that fasting in Ramadhan and praying five times a day are much more important than fasting on the day of 'Arafah and 'Ashura', and that they expiate for the sins between one Ramadhan 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. Among those deceived people may be one who thinks that his good deeds are more than his sins, because he does not pay attention to his bad deeds or check on his sins, but if he does a good deed he remembers it and relies on it. This is like the one who seeks Allah's forgiveness with his tongue (i.e., by words only), and glorifies Allah by saying "SubhanAllah" one hundred times a day, then he backbites about the Muslims and slanders their honor, and speaks all day long about things that are not pleasing to Allah. This person is always thinking about the virtues of his tasbihat (saying "Subhanallah") and tahlilat (saying "La ilaha illallah") but he pays no attention to what has been reported concerning those who backbite, tell lies and slander others, or commit other sins of the tongue. They are completely deceived." [Al-Mawsu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, part 31, Ghurur]
May Allah help us draw close to Him and grant us righteous deeds and forgive our sins.
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من العجز والكسل، والبخل والهرم، وعذاب القبر، اللهم آت نفسي تقواها، وزكها أنت خير من زكاها، أنت وليها ومولاها، اللهم إني أعوذ بك من علم لا ينفع ومن قلب لا يخشع، ومن نفس لا تشبع، ومن دعوة لا يستجاب لها
O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the inability (to do good), indolence, cowardice, miserliness, decrepitude and torment of the grave. O Allah! Grant me the sense of piety and purify my soul as You are the Best to purify it. You are its Guardian and its Protecting Friend. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the knowledge which is not beneficial, and from a heart which does not fear (You), and from desire which is not satisfied, and from prayer which is not answered.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَ عُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَمِلْتُ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا لَمْ أَعْمَلْ
O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done and from the evil of what I have not done yet.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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