بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The Month of Muharram and Fasting on the Day of `Ashoorah
Assalamu 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 to 10th of this month.
The 10th of Muharram is the day of Ashura, but the Prophet 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 (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“It expiates (the sins) of the past year.” [Muslim]
Ibn `Abbaas (رضي الله عنه) said:
“I never saw the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) 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 (صلى الله عليه وسلم) 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 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 and the tribes of Israel from their enemies on this day and therefore, Moses fasted on this day.`
The Prophet said:`We have more of a right to Moses than you,` so he (saws) fasted on that day also and ordered the believers to fast on that day."
Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The blessed Prophet Muhammad also made the intention to fast on the 9th of Muharram before he passed away. Muslim narrated that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"When the coming year comes, if Allaah wills, we (also) will fast the ninth (of Muharram)."
Ibn `Abbaas (رضي الله عنه) said:
“The next year did not come except that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had passed away.”
Imam An-Nawawee (رحمه الله) 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 (صلى الله عليه وسلم) 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.
---> Please note, the following is a rough estimation as I have no information about moonsighting, until then, inshaAllah we hope to update the information here to present more accurate dates:
In the Islamic month of Muharram, a person should fast the the 9th and 10th but it is okay to fast the10th and 11th if the person did not fast the 9th, this is in accordance to the Prophet command to differ from the Jews
As it is now, Tuesday 30 December 2008 (03 Muharram 1430) inshaAllah the 9th/10th of Muharram will be on Tuesday 6th of January and Wednesday 7th 2009 respectively.
Allah accept all our good deeds and forgive our sins, may Allah help us and all the Muslims to be strong in face of all adversity. Amin
__________________Wasalam ~
