The Day of Ashura (10th Muharram)

6th April 2007

_Allah (swt) says in Qur’an:
‘You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the last day, loving those who resist Allah and his Apostle. Even though they be their Fathers or sons, or their brothers or kindred. For such Allah has written faith in their hearts and strengthened them with a spirit from himself. And he will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. Allah will be pleased with them and they with him. They are the party of Allah. Truly it is the party of Allah that will achieve felicity.’ (58, 22)

In the above ayat, Allah (swt) has clearly documented the status and rank of all the Sahaba (ra).
For this reason it is narrated from Abdullah ibn Mugafar that RasulAllah (saw) said:

“Fear Allah, Fear Allah! Do not make hostility with my Sahaba after me. Whoever loves them, love them due to his love for me, whoever is adverse to them is so, due to his adversity to me.
He who insults them, he has insulted me (saw), he who insults me has insulted Allah (swt).
He who insults Allah (swt) surely Allah (swt) will insult HIM.”

From the Qur’an and Hadith it is established that love and respect of the Sahaba (ra) and their ways is Wajib on all Mu’mins. It is wajib to hold your tongue and keep silent other than speaking about them in the wrong way.

It is saddening, in the month of Muhurram lots of people speak adversely about those Sahaba (ra) who should be revered & they take the incident of the Shahada of Hadrat Hussain (ra) as a point of beating themselves and wailing, which has been specifically prohibited in the Hadith. To carry out these type of actions removes a person from the straight path.

It is stipulated in the Hadith which actions should be practised on the 10th Muhurram (Ash’ura) and are recommended.

• Ibn Abbas (ra) relates: “I have not seen RasulAllah (saw) mentioning the reward of fasting on the day of Ash’ura more than any other day. And I have not seen that RasulAllah (saw) mentioned the reward of fasting in the month of Ramadan more than any other month in the year. ” (Bukhari, Muslim)

• Imam Gazaali (rah) says:“The reason that the day of Ash’ura has been given the importance is that in the beginning of Islam the fast of Ash’ura was Fard, when Allah (swt) revealed the ayat of fasting in Ramadan as being Fard, the fast of Ash’ura was retracted to a Nafil. And that ibadat which was Fard and was retracted to a Nafil is better than that nafil which was never a Fard act.” (Muzalisul-Abrar)

• Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) relates:“RasulAllah (saw) did hijrah from Makkah to Medina. At that time RasulAllah (saw) saw the Jews keeping fast on the day of Ash’ura (10th Muharram). He (saw) asked them: ‘is this a special day in your religion?’they said:’yes, this is a very important day for us, on this day Allah (swt) freed Musa (as) and bani Israel, and drowned the army of Phiroan, as a means of thanking Allah(swt) Musa (as) fasted so we also fast on this day.’RasulAllah (saw) said:’I have more right to Musa(as) than you.’ Then RasulAllah (saw) himself would keep the fast of Ash’ura and ordered the Ummah to do the same. (Bukhari, Muslim)

• The fast of Ash’ura is kept on the 10th Muharram, it is also stated from Ibn Abbas that: “RasulAllah (saw) said ‘InshAllah next year I will keep a fast on the 9th Muharram to go against the way of the Jews’ but Nabi (saw) was taken before this by Allah (swt) (Muslim)

It is established from the Ulema that the fast of the 9th Muharram should be kept with Ash’ura, if you cannot keep this fast, then keep the fast of the 11th Muharram. (Ma’ariful Hadith)

May Allah (swt) grant us the correct understanding of the month of Muharram, lead us on the correct path and keep us away from all wrongs and innovations, May Allah (swt) accept our efforts and forgive our shortcomings, Aameen.
Al -Kauthar


Mufti Yusuf Danka (CMIC)