The virtues of Muharram and fasting on ‘Aashooraa’ - I

Allaah's sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It
is the first month of the Hijri calendar (Islamic calendar which
started with the Prophet's migration from Makkah to Madeenah) and is
one of the four sacred months concerning which Allaah Says (what
means): "Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in
a year) so was it ordained by Allaah on the day when he created the
Heaven and the Earth; of them four are Sacred- that is the right
religion, so wrong not yourselves therein…." [Quran 9:36]
Abu Bakrah reported that the Prophet said: "The year is twelve months
of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months
ofThul-Qa'dah,Thul-Hijjah and Muharram,and Rajab which comes between
Jumaada and Sha'baan." [Al-Bukhaari]
Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (Muharram) month and to
confirm its sanctity.
Allaah's Words (which mean) " 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.
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 the same phrase that wrongdoing during the
sacred monthsis more serious and moresinful than wrongdoing at any
other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but Allaah
gives more weightto whichever of His commands He wills. Allaah has
chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from among the
angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He chose from
within speechthe remembrance of Him.He chose from upon the earth the
mosques, from among the months Ramadhaan 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. [Tafseer of Ibn Katheer]
The Virtue of observing more voluntary fasts during Muharram
Abu Hurayrah said: "The Messenger of Allaah said: 'The best of fasting
after Ramadhaan is fasting Allaah's month of Muharram.' " [Muslim]
The phrase "Allaah's month", connecting the name of the month to
thename of Allaah in a genitive grammatical structure signifies the
importance of the month.Al-Qaari may Allaah have mercy on him said:
"The apparent meaning is all of the month of Muharram." But it was
proven that the Prophet never fasted any whole month apart from
Ramadhaan, so this Hadeeth (Prophetic narration) is probably meant to
encourage increasing one's fasting during Muharram, without meaning
that one should fast the entiremonth.
It was reported that the Prophet 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.
Allaah chooses whatever times and places He wills
Al-'Izz Ibn 'Abd As-Salaam 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 bestowsHis
generosity on His slaves at those times or inthose places by giving a
greater reward for deedsdone, such as giving a greater reward for
fasting in Ramadhaan than for fasting at all other times, and also on
the day of 'Aashooraa', the virtue of which is dueto Allaah's
generosity andkindness towards His slaves on that day…"
'Aashooraa' in history
Ibn 'Abbaas said: "The Prophet came to Madeenah and found theJews
fasting on the day of 'Aashooraa'. He said: 'What is this?' They
(Jews) said: 'This is a righteous day, it is the day when Allaah saved
the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Moosa (Moses ) 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."
[Al-Bukhaari]
The practice of fasting on'Aashooraa' was known even in the days of
Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period), before the Prophet's mission. It was
reported that 'Aa'ishah said: "The people of Jaahiliyyah used to fast
on that day…"
Al-Qurtubi may Allaah have mercy on him said: "Perhaps Quraysh used
tofast on that day on the basis of some past law, such as that of
Ibraaheem (Abraham )."
It was also reported that the Prophet 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.
Apparently the motive forcommanding the Muslimsto fast on this day was
the desire to be different from the Jews, so that theMuslims would
fast when the Jews did not, becausepeople do not fast on a day of
celebration.
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 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 in the
verse (which means): " O you who havebelieved, decreed upon you is
fasting …" [Quran 2:183]
The obligation was transferred from the fast of 'Aashooraa' to the
fast of Ramadhaan, and this isone of the proofs in the field of Usool
Al-Fiqh (Judicial fundamentals) that it is possible to abrogate a
lighter duty in favour of a heavier duty.
The virtues of fasting 'Aashooraa'
Ibn 'Abbaas, , said: "I never saw the Messenger of Allaah so keen to
fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the
day of 'Aashooraa', and this month, meaning Ramadhaan." [Al-Bukhaari]
The meaning of his beingkeen was that he intended to fast on that day
in the hope of earning the reward for doing so.
The Prophet said: "For fasting the day of 'Aashooraa', I hope that
Allaah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before."
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