As Salaam Alaykum
Wa Rahamatullah
Dear Brothers &
Sisters In Islam
Here I am
enclosing information regarding fasting on Aashoorah and its
blessings as it is a proved act of Sunnah. May Allaah make easy
for us to practice the teaching of Quraan and Sunnah in every
aspect of our life..Ameen!
Wa Salam
The Virtues of Allah's sacred month of Muharram and Fasting
on 'Aashooraa'
Praise be to
Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon
our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Chief of the
Messengers, and upon all his family and companions. 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 Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Verily, the
number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so
it was ordained by Allaah 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-Tawbah
9:36]
Abu Bakrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The year is twelve
months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months
of Dhu'l-Qa'dah, Dhu'l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar
which comes between Jumaada and Sha'baan." (Reported by al-Bukhaari,
2958).
Muharram is so
called because it is a sacred (muharram) month and to confirm
its sanctity.
Allaah's words
(interpretation of the meaning): "so wrong not yourselves
therein." mean do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months,
because sin in these months is worse than in other months.
It was reported
that Ibn 'Abbaas said that this phrase (so wrong not yourselves
therein.) referred to all the months, then these four were
singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is
more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.
Qutaadah said
concerning this phrase (so wrong not yourselves therein.) that
wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and more
sinful that wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any
time is a serious matter, but Allaah gives more weight to
whichever of His commands He will. Allaah has chosen certain
ones of His creation. He has chosen from among the angels
Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He chose from
among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr). He chose from
among the earth the mosques, from among the months Ramadaan and
the sacred months, from among the days Friday and from among
the nights Laylat al-Qadr, so venerate that which Allaah has
told us to venerate. People of understanding and wisdom
venerate the things that Allaah has told us to venerate.
(Summarized from the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have
mercy on him. Tafseer of Surat al-Tawbah, aayah 36).
The Virtue of observing more naafil fasts during Muharram.
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.
It was reported
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to fast more in Sha'baan. It is likely that the virtue of
Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his life,
before he was able to fast during this month. (Sharh al-Nawawi
'ala Saheeh Muslim).
Allaah chooses
whatever times and places He wills
Al-'Izz ibn 'Abd
al-Salaam (may Allaah 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 Allaah 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
Ramadaan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the
day of 'Aashooraa', the virtue of which is due to Allaah's
generosity and kindness towards His slaves on that day." (Qawaa'id
al-Ahkaam, 1/38).
'Aashooraa' in History
Ibn 'Abbaas (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and saw the
Jews fasting on the day of 'Aashooraa'. He said, 'What is
this?' They said, 'This is a righteous day, it is the day when
Allaah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so
Moosa fasted on this day.' He said, 'We have more right to
Moosa than you,' so he fasted on that day and commanded [the
Muslims] to fast on that day." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1865).
"This is a
righteous day" - in a report narrated by Muslim, [the Jews
said:] "This is a great day, on which Allaah saved Moosa and
his people, and drowned Pharaoh and his people."
"Moosa fasted on
this day" - a report narrated by Muslim adds: ". in
thanksgiving to Allaah, so we fast on this day."
According to a
report narrated by al-Bukhaari: ". so we fast on this day to
venerate it."
A version narrated
by Imaam Ahmad adds: "This is the day on which the Ark settled
on Mount Joodi, so Nooh fasted this day in thanksgiving."
"and commanded
[the Muslims] to fast on that day" - according to another
report also narrated by al-Bukhaari: "He said to his
Companions: 'You have more right to Moosa than they do, so fast
on that day."
The practice of
fasting on 'Aashooraa' was known even in the days of
Jaahiliyyah, before the Prophet's mission. It was reported that
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The people of
Jaahiliyyah used to fast on that day."
Al-Qurtubi said:
"Perhaps Quraysh used to fast on that day on the basis of some
past law, such as that of Ibraaheem, upon whom be peace."
It was also
reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to fast on 'Aashooraa' in Makkah, before he
migrated to Madeenah. When he migrated to Madeenah, he found
the Jews celebrating this day, so he asked them why, and they
replied as described in the hadeeth quoted above. He commanded
the Muslims to be different from the Jews, who took it as a
festival, as was reported in the hadeeth of Abu Moosa (may
Allaah be pleased with him), who said: "The Jews used to take
the day of 'Aashooraa' as a festival [according to a report
narrated by Muslim: the day of 'Aashooraa' was venerated by the
Jews, who took it as a festival. According to another report
also narrated by Muslim: the people of Khaybar (the Jews) used
to take it as a festival and their women would wear their
jewellery and symbols on that day]. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'So you [Muslims] should
fast on that day.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari).
Apparently the
motive for commanding the Muslims to fast on this day was the
desire to be different from the Jews, so that the Muslims would
fast when the Jews did not, because people do not fast on a day
of celebration. (Summarized from the words of al-Haafiz Ibn
Hajar - may Allaah have mercy on him - in Fath al-Baari Sharh
'ala Saheeh al-Bukhaari).
Fasting on 'Aashooraa'
was a gradual step in the process of introducing fasting as a
prescribed obligation in Islam. Fasting appeared in three
forms. When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah, he told the Muslims to
fast on three days of every month and on the day of 'Aashooraa',
then Allaah made fasting obligatory when He said
(interpretation of the meaning): ". observing the fasting is
prescribed for you." [al-Baqarah 2:183] (Ahkaam al-Qur'aan by
al-Jassas, part 1).
The obligation was
transferred from the fast of 'Aashooraa' to the fast of
Ramadaan, and this one of the proofs in the field of Usool al-Fiqh
that it is possible to abrogate a lighter duty in favour of a
heavier duty.
Before the
obligation of fasting 'Aashooraa' was abrogated, fasting on
this day was obligatory, as can be seen from the clear command
to observe this fast. Then it was further confirmed later on,
then reaffirmed by making it a general command addressed to
everybody, and once again by instructing mothers not to
breastfeed their infants during this fast. It was reported from
Ibn Mas'ood that when fasting Ramadaan was made obligatory, the
obligation to fast 'Aashooraa' was lifted, i.e., it was no
longer obligatory to fast on this day, but it is still
desirable (mustahabb).
of Great Bounty.
Which day is 'Aashooraa'?
Al-Nawawi (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: " 'Aashooraa' and Taasoo'aa'
are two elongated names [the vowels are elongated] as is stated
in books on the Arabic language. Our companions said: 'Aashooraa'
is the tenth day of Muharram and Taasoo'aa' is the ninth day.
This is our opinion, and that of the majority of scholars. This
is the apparent meaning of the ahaadeeth and is what we
understand from the general wording. It is also what is usually
understood by scholars of the language." (al-Majmoo')
'Aashooraa' is an
Islamic name that was not known at the time of Jaahiliyyah. (Kashshaaf
al-Qinaa', part 2, Sawm Muharram).
Ibn Qudaamah (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said:
'Aashooraa' is
the tenth day of Muharram. This is the opinion of Sa'eed ibn
al-Musayyib and al-Hasan. It was what was reported by Ibn 'Abbaas,
who said: 'The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) commanded us to fast 'Aashooraa', the tenth
day of Muharram.' (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said, a saheeh
hasan hadeeth). It was reported that Ibn 'Abbaas said: 'The
ninth,' and reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to fast the ninth. (Reported by
Muslim). 'Ataa' reported that he said, 'Fast the ninth and the
tenth, and do not be like the Jews.' If this is understood, we
can say on this basis that it is mustahabb (encouraged) to fast
on the ninth and the tenth, for that reason. This is what Ahmad
said, and it is the opinion of Ishaaq."
Ruling on fasting only on the day of 'Aashooraa'
Shaykh al-Islam
said: "Fasting on the day of 'Aashoraa' is an expiation for a
year, and it is not makrooh to fast only that day." (al-Fataawa
al-Kubra, part 5). In Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami,
it says: "There is nothing wrong with fasting only on 'Aashooraa'."
(part 3, Baab Sawm al-Tatawwu').
Fasting on 'Aashooraa'
even if it is a Saturday or a Friday
Al-Tahhaawi (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) allowed us to fast on 'Aashooraa'
and urged us to do so. He did not say that if it falls on a
Saturday we should not fast. This is evidence that all days of
the week are included in this. In our view - and Allaah knows
best - it could be the case that even if this is true (that it
is not allowed to fast on Saturdays), it is so that we do not
venerate this day and refrain from food, drink and intercourse,
as the Jews do. As for the one who fasts on a Saturday without
intending to venerate it, and does not do so because the Jews
regard it as blessed, then this is not makrooh." (Mushkil al-Aathaar,
part 2, Baab Sawm Yawm al-Sabt).
The author of al-Minhaaj
said: " 'It is disliked (makrooh) to fast on a Friday alone.'
But it is no longer makrooh if you add another day to it, as
mentioned in the saheeh report to that effect. A person may
fast on a Friday if it coincides with his habitual fast, or he
is fasting in fulfilment of a vow, or he is making up an
obligatory fast that he has missed, as was stated in a saheeh
report."
Al-Shaarih said in
Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj:
" 'If it coincides
with his habitual fast' - i.e., such as if he fasts alternate
days, and a day that he fasts happens to be a Friday.
' if he is fasting
in fulfilment of a vow, etc." - this also applies to fasting on
days prescribed in sharee'ah, such as 'Aashooraa' or 'Arafaah.
(Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj, part 3, Baab Sawm al-Tatawwu')
Al-Bahooti (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: "It is makrooh to deliberately
single out a Saturday for fasting, because of the hadeeth of 'Abd-Allaah
ibn Bishr, who reported from his sister: 'Do not fast on
Saturdays except in the case of obligatory fasts' (reported by
Ahmad with a jayyid isnaad and by al-Haakim, who said:
according to the conditions of al-Bukhaari), and because it is
a day that is venerated by the Jews, so singling it out for
fasting means being like them. except when a Friday or Saturday
coincides with a day when Muslims habitually fast, such as when
it coincides with the day of 'Arafaah or the day of 'Aashooraa',
and a person has the habit of fasting on these days, in which
case it is not makrooh, because a person's habit carries some
weight." (Kashshaaf al-Qinaa', part 2, Baab Sawm al-Tatawwu').
Not relying too much on the reward for fasting
Some people who
are deceived rely too much on things like fasting on 'Aashooraa'
or the day of 'Arafaah, to the extent that some of them say,
"Fasting on 'Aashooraa' will expiate for the sins of the whole
year, and fasting on the day of 'Arafaah will bring extra
rewards." Ibn al-Qayyim said: 'This misguided person does not
know that fasting in Ramadaan and praying five times a day are
much more important than fasting on the day of 'Arafaah and 'Aashooraa',
and that they expiate for the sins between one Ramadaan 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 Allaah's forgiveness with his tongue (i.e., by
words only), and glorifies Allaah by saying "Subhaan Allaah"
one hundred times a day, then he backbites about the Muslims
and slanders their honour, and speaks all day long about things
that are not pleasing to Allaah. This person is always thinking
about the virtues of his tasbeehaat (saying "Subhaan Allaah")
and tahleelaat (saying "Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah") 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-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah,
part 31, Ghuroor).
Bid'ahs common on 'Aashooraa'
Shaykh al-Islam
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the
things that people do on 'Aashooraa', such as wearing kohl,
taking a bath (ghusl), wearing henna, shaking hands with one
another, cooking grains (huboob), showing happiness and so on.
Was any of this reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) in a saheeh hadeeth, or not? If nothing
to that effect was reported in a saheeh hadeeth, is doing these
things bid'ah, or not? Is there any basis for what the other
group do, such as grieving and mourning, going without anything
to drink, eulogizing and wailing, reciting in a crazy manner,
and rending their garments?
His reply was:
'Praise be to
Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. Nothing to that effect has been
reported in any saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his Companions. None
of the imaams of the Muslims encouraged or recommended such
things, neither the four imaams, nor any others. No reliable
scholars have narrated anything like this, neither from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), nor from
the Sahaabah, nor from the Taabi'een; neither in any saheeh
report or in a da'eef (weak) report; neither in the books of
Saheeh, nor in al-Sunan, nor in the Musnads.
No hadeeth of this
nature was known during the best centuries, but some of the
later narrators reported ahaadeeth like the one which says,
"Whoever puts kohl in his eyes on the day of 'Aashooraa' will
not suffer from eye disease in that year, and whoever takes a
bath (does ghusl) on the day of 'Aashooraa' will not get sick
in that year," and so on. They also reported a fabricated
hadeeth that is falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), which says, "Whoever is
generous to his family on the day of 'Aashooraa', Allaah will
be generous to him for the rest of the year." Reporting all of
this from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) is tantamount to lying.'
>Then he [Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)] discussed in brief the
tribulations that had occurred in the early days of this ummah
and the killing of al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him),
and what the various sects had done because of this.
Then he said: 'An
ignorant, wrongful group - who were either heretics and
hypocrites, or misguided and misled - made a show of allegiance
to him and the members of his household, so they took the day
of 'Aashooraa' as a day of mourning and wailing, in which they
openly displayed the rituals of jaahiliyyah such as slapping
their cheeks and rending their garments, grieving in the manner
of the jaahiliyyah. The Shaytaan made this attractive to those
who are misled, so they took the day of 'Aashooraa' as an
occasion of mourning, when they grieve and wail, recite poems
of grief and tell stories filled with lies. Whatever truth
there may be in these stories serves no purpose other than the
renewal of their grief and sectarian feeling, and the stirring
up of hatred and hostility among the Muslims, which they do by
cursing those who came before them. The evil and harm that they
do to the Muslims cannot be enumerated by any man, no matter
how eloquent he is. Some others - either Naasibis who oppose
and have enmity towards al-Husayn and his family or ignorant
people who try to fight evil with evil, corruption with
corruption, lies with lies and bid'ah with bid'ah - opposed
them by fabricating reports in favour of making the day of 'Aashooraa'
a day of celebration, by wearing kohl and henna, spending money
on one's children, cooking special dishes and other things that
are done on Eids and special occasions. These people took the
day of 'Aashooraa' as a festival like Eid, whereas the others
took it as a day of mourning. Both are wrong, and both go
against the Sunnah, even though the other group (those who take
it as a day of mourning) are worse in intention and more
ignorant and more plainly wrong. Neither the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) nor his successors (the
khulafa' al-raashidoon) did any of these things on the day of 'Aashooraa',
they neither made it a day of mourning nor a day of
celebration.
>
>As for the other
things, such as cooking special dishes with or without grains,
or wearing new clothes, or spending money on one's family, or
buying the year's supplies on that day, or doing special acts
of worship such as special prayers or deliberately slaughtering
an animal on that day, or saving some of the meat of the
sacrifice to cook with grains, or wearing kohl and henna, or
taking a bath (ghusl), or shaking hands with one another, or
visiting one another, or visiting the mosques and mashhads
(shrines) and so on. all of this is reprehensible bid'ah and is
wrong. None of it has anything to do with the Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
or the way of the Khulafa' al-Raashidoon. It was not approved
of by any of the imaams of the Muslims, not Maalik, not al-Thawri,
not al-Layth ibn Sa'd, not Abu Haneefah, not al-Oozaa'i, not
al-Shaafa'i, not Ahmad ibn Hanbal, not Ishaaq ibn Raahwayh, not
any of the imaams and scholars of the Muslims.'(al-Fataawa al-Kubra
by Ibn Taymiyah)
Ibn al-Haaj (may
Allaah have mercy on him) mentioned that one of the bid'ahs on
'Aashooraa' was deliberately paying zakaat on this day, late or
early, or slaughtering a chicken just for this occasion, or -
in the case of women - using henna. (al-Madkhal, part 1, Yawm 'Aashooraa')
We
ask Allaah to make us followers of the Sunnah of His Noble
Prophet, to make us live in Islam and die in a state of faith.
May He help us to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
We ask Him to help us to remember Him and be thankful to Him,
to worship Him properly and to accept our good deeds. May He
make us of those who are pious and fear Him. May Allaah bless
our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions. Ameen!!