Don’t Forget to Fast Asyura

Dear akhuwaty muslimah, please take note that 10th of Muharram is on Thursday, 14th of November 2013.  It is sunnah to fast for 2 days (either 9/10 Muharram or 10/11 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 (interpretation of the meaning):

“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 … ”                   [Al-Qur’an 9:36]

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Fasting on the day of ‘Asyura, I hope will be an expiation of sins for the year before” (Hadith Muslim).

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The scholars – our companions and others – mentioned several reasons why it is mustahabb (loved / encouraged) to fast on Tasu’a’ (at 9th ):

-“The intention behind it is to be different from the Jews, who only venerate the tenth day. This opinion was reported from Ibn ‘Abbas …

-“The intention is to add another day’s fast to ‘Ashura’. This is akin to the prohibition of fasting on Friday only, as was mentioned by al-Khattabi and others.

-“To be on the safe side and make sure that one fasts on the tenth, in case there is some error in sighting the crescent moon at the beginning of Muharram and the ninth is in fact the tenth.”

The strongest of these reasons is being different from the People of the Book. Shaykh ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade imitating the People of the Book in many ahadith, for example, his words concerning‘Ashura’‘If I live until the next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth day.’ ” [Al-Fatawa al-Kubra, part 6, Sadd adh-Dhara’i’ al-Mufdiyyah ila’l-Maharim]

 So don’t forget to fast to get awesome rewards from Allah! Do remind your beloved family members and friends too! 

Illustration by AA Sumadri
Illustration by AA Sumadri

 

 

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