The Day of Ashurah (10th Muharram)!! Although the month of Muharram is a sacred month as a whole, the 10th of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days. The day is named ‘Ashurah. It is one of the most important and blessed days of ALLAH (سبحانه وتعالى) in the Islamic calendar. According to the Holy companion, Ibn Abbas رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰعنه, when the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ migrated to Madinah, he found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Holy Prophet Musa عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously, and the Pharaoh was drowned in its water. On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, “We are more closely related to Musa عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم than you.” So the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashurah. [Abu Dawood] According to another Hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of Ashurah should be either preceeded or suceded by an additional fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram or the 10th and 11th. The reason of this additional fast as mentioned by the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ is that the Jews used to fast on the day of Ashurah alone, and the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ wanted to distinguish the Islmaic way of fasting from that of the Jews. Therefore, he advised the Muslims to add another fast to the day of Ashurah. Some Ulama (scholars) are of the opinion that before the fasts of Ramadhan were made compulsory, the fast of the day of Ashurah was compulsory upon the Ummah. This is stated in a Hadeeth reported by Aisha رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰعنه: that the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ordered the observance of the fast of Ashurah. However, when the fast of Ramadhan became compulsory, then whosoever wished, kept this fast and whosoever desired did not observe this fast. [Al Bukhari] But, nevertheless the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ continued to fast this day and encouraged his Companions to do the same. Dawah ALLAH (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 13:51:37 +0000
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