the day of `Ashura'

[tresbien]

the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake. May Allah reward you abundantly for your interest in knowing the teachings of your religion, Islam!

As a matter of fact, the true Muslim always takes the advantage of the blessed occasions and days of Islam. He spares no efforts in drawing himself nearer to Allah. In doing so, he concerns himself with knowing the virtuous days and occasions in Islam so as to follow his Prophet's suit in all spheres of life.

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “I never saw Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of `Ashura', and this month, meaning Ramadan.” (Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1867) In another hadith we are told that fasting the day of `Ashura' expiates the sins of the previous year as theProphet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Fasting the day of `Ashura' (is of great merits), I hope that Allah will accept it as anexpiation for (the sins committed in) the previous year”(Muslim).

Focusing more on the question in point, Dr. MuzammilH. Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Society of North America, states:

Fasting the Day of `Ashura' is not to mourn the martyrdom of imamHusain (may Allah be pleased with him). We deeply respect Imam Husain’s martyrdom,we honor his glorious act of sacrifice for the sake of Islam. He gave us a great example of truth, courage and piety. But we also feel pain and grief in our hearts for his assassination at the hand of some hypocrites who took Islam as a pretext to commit their crime. They fought and killed Allah’s Messenger’s beloved and blessed grandson and his family. This was the most heinous and shameful crime that was committed for the sake of political power. This tragic event took place in the year 61 AH or 680 CE. However, the tradition of `Ashura' fasting is very ancient and it goes back to a long time before imam Husian.

It is reported in the Sahih of Imam Al-Bukhari and other authentic collections of hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram while they were in Makkah (before the hijrah).

It was a day on which people of Makkah used to change the covering (kiswah) of the Ka`bah. Quraysh also used to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1489 and 1760)

After the hijrah when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, he found that the Jews of Madinah also used to observe this day with fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked them the reason of their fasting on this day. They said, “This is a blessed day. On this day Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy (in Egypt) and so Prophet Musa fasted on this day giving thanks to Allah.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “We have more claim to Musa than you.” He fasted on that day and commanded Muslims to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1865)

In another report it is mentioned that Jews of Madinah used to hold a feast on this day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told his Companions to fast instead. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1866)

`Ashura' fasting was obligatory (fard) in the beginning. In the second year of hijrah (624 CE) when Allah’s command came that Muslims should fast the whole month of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then sent someone to announce to people that fasting of `Ashura' had become voluntary (nafl). This indicates that whosoever wishes to fast, may fast and whosoever does not want to fast, there will be no blame on him/her.

Imam At-Tirmidhi mentioned that ibn `Abbas(may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say that we should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi)

Ibn`Abbasalso quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying, “If I live next year, I shall also fast on the 9th day.” (MusnadAhmad ibnHanbal, hadith2002)

There is a great reward in fasting the day of `Ashura'. There are many hadiths that mention its blessings and virtues. It is good to fast on this day, although it is not obligatory.

Do not forget to fast next Thursday and Wednesday 9 and 10 muharam 1432 Dec 2010
Pray for me and for all muslims.

taken from islamonline

[Salafi1407]

Asalamu Alykum

What is commonly said these days is that if you want to fast 2 days you can do so either the day before or the day after along with the day of ashura. but i haven't seen any hadith that back up the argument of fasting the day after.

Is there any special reward for the 9th of Muharram or is it solely to distinguish us from the jews, then if thats the case I can see why the 11th would also work.

[Beardo]

Wait, so which two days should we be fasting according to the greg calendar? :x

[Ramadhan]

The day of ashura will fall on next Thursday Insha Allah.
so the two days to fast could be wednesday-thursday or thursday-friday
but friday is generally not liked to be singled out to fast, so idk.

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[tresbien]

Wait, so which two days should we be fasting according to the greg calendar? :x

`Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) fasted on the day of `Ashura’ and told the people to fast, they said, “O Messenger of Allah, this is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Next year, if Allah wills, we will fast on the ninth day.” But by the time the following year came, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had passed away. (Reported by Muslim)

Al-Shafi`i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaq, and others said: It is recommended to fast both the 9th and the 10th because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fasted the 10th and intended to fast the 9th.

Based on this, there are different ways of fasting `Ashura’, the least of which is to fast the 10th only, but it is better to fast the 9th as well. The more one fasts in Muharram, the better.

Source: www.islam-qa.com

Do not forget to fast next thursday 10 muharam and wednesday 9 muharam 15 and 16 December.Women who can not be able to fast just invite u friends to u home to break the fast or prepare food to u husbnads or u siblings or u relatives with the intentuion to feed the fasting persons.If the mosque is near your home why do not u take some dates to be distributed to the fasting persons.Those who do not have can get the same reward by their intentions

[Salafi1407]

The day of ashura will fall on next Thursday Insha Allah.
so the two days to fast could be wednesday-thursday or thursday-friday
but friday is generally not liked to be singled out to fast, so idk.

the hadith clearly states the 9th along with 10th not the 11th.

[أبو سليمان عمر]

1250. Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was asked about the observance of Saum (fasting) on the day of `Arafah. He said, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year and the current year.''
[Muslim].

Commentary: The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is called Yaum-`Arafah . On this day, pilgrims stop and stand in prayers at `Arafat which is the most important ritual of Hajj, so much so that Hajj is deemed incomplete without it. On that day, the pilgrims are engaged in the remembrance of Allah and prayers as that is their most important worship on that day. For this reason, Saum is not desirable for them, but for other people, Saum has a special merit. The importance and merit of this Saum can be judged from the fact that it expiates sins for two consecutive years: the previous year and the current year. But these sins relate only to the minor sins, not the major ones, or become a means of elevation of one's status.

1251. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) observed Saum (fasting) on the day of `Ashura' and commanded us to fast on this day.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: `Ashura' 10th of Muharram. In another Hadith, it is stated that when the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) emigrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah, he saw that the Jews were fasting on this day. He asked them why they did this on that day, and they told him that they did it for the reason that Allah granted Prophet Musa emancipation from Pharaoh on this day, and so they observed Saum in token of their joy. On this, he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said that in this happiness of Prophet Musa, Muslims have a greater right to observe Saum than the Jews. Consequently, he also observed Saum on 10th of Muharram. Then, he said that if he lived the following year, he would observe Saum on 9th of Muharram also so that they would make themselves different from the Jews. According to another Hadith, he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) ordained the Muslims to observe Saum on `Ashura' and in addition one more Saum on 9th or 11th of Muharram in opposition to the Jews. (Musnad Ahmad, Vol.4, P-21, edited by Ahmad Shakir; and Mujamma` Az-Zawaid, Vol.3, P-188). Thus observance of two Saum on this occasion is a Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). These two Saum can be observed either on 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th of Muharram. It is regrettable indeed that present-day Muslims do not follow this Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and instead observe the baseless practices of mourning assemblies (Majalis), which is a grave sin practised by Shi`ah.

1252. Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was asked about observing As-Saum (the fast) on the tenth day of Muharram, and he replied, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year.''
[Muslim].

1253. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "If I remain alive till the next year, I shall also observe fast on the ninth of Muharram.''
[Muslim].

Commentary: Some people think these words stand to mean that `he will observe Saum on the 9th of Muharram only. But this interpretation does not agree with other Ahadith. In order to oppose the Jews, he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) resolved to observe one more Saum with that of 10th of Muharram and ordained it for the Muslims. In this connection, we have quoted above the authority from Musnad Ahmad. Hence, the meanings we have given in the translation of the text are correct. take from Imam Al-Nawawi's Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 227

158- Observing Sawm on the ninth and tenth of Muharram is better than on the tenth and eleventh

Q: What is the ruling on observing Sawm (Fast) on the Day of ‘Ashura’ (10th of Muharram)? Is it better to observe Sawm on the day that precedes it, the day that succeeds it, all the three days, or on the Day of ‘Ashura’ only? Please clarify the matter. May Allah reward you with the best!
A: It is a Sunnah (supererogatory act of worship following the example of the Prophet) to observe Sawm on the Day of ‘Ashura’ for the authentic Hadiths in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated so. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that the Jews used to observe Sawm on that Day because it was the day on which Allah (may He be Exalted) rescued Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him)
(Part No. 15; Page No. 404)
and his people and destroyed Pharaoh and his people. Our Prophet Muhammad thus, observed Sawm on the Day of ‘Ashura’ to express his gratitude to Allah, advised Muslims to do so, and directed us as well to observe Sawm on the day preceding or succeeding it. However, observing Sawm on the ninth and tenth of Muharram is better than doing so on the tenth and eleventh. The latter form is also sufficient for it contradicts the practice of the Jews as well. One may also observe Sawm on all three days, i.e. the ninth, the tenth, and the eleventh of Muharram as is reported in some narrations: Fast a day before (the Day of ‘Ashura’) and a day after it. But, it is Makruh (reprehensible) to observe Sawm on the Day of ‘Ashura’ only, i.e. without accompanying it by the preceding or the succeeding day. May Allah grant us success!

[al Amaanah]

:salamext:

http://www.islamicboard.com/fasting-...aashoorah.html

:w:

[EngieBenji]

Masha'allah this is cool! (: Thanks for letting us know, definitely gonna fast on Thursday!!