Welcome Muharram With the sighting of the new moon the Islamic new year is ushered in. The first month Muharram, is a month of great reward and virtue. Muharram itself means `sacred and is from those months which have been mentioned as sacred in the Holy Quraan. Almighty Allah states in the Holy Quraan: Four of them ( Zil-Qadah, Zil-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab) are sacred. (Surah At-Tawbah:36) Virtues From out of the four sacred months, Muharram has been blessed with certain specific virtues:- Prophet Muhammad (Saw) said: The best of fasts besides the month of Ramadhan is the fasting of Allahs month of Muharram. (Muslim) In another Hadeeth, Ibn Abbas (RA) reports: that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: The one that keeps a fast in the month of Muharram will receive the reward of thirty fasts for each fast (in this sacred month). (Tabraani) Although the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, the one who fasts in these days out of his own will and choice is entitled to a great reward by Almighty Allah. The Hadith citied above signifies that the fasts of the month of Muharram are the most rewardable among the Nafl fasts i.e. the fasts one observes out of his own choice without being obligatory on him. The Hadith does not mean that the reward promised for fasts of Muharram can only be attained by fasting for the whole month. On the contrary, each fast during this month has merit. Therefore, one should take advantage of this opportunity. The Day of Aashora (10th Muharram): Although the month of Muharram is a sacred month as a whole, the 10 th 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 in the Islamic calendar. According to the Holy companion, Ibn Abbas (ra)when Prophet (saw)migrated to Madinah, he found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10 th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which Musa (as)and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously, and the Pharaoh was drowned in its water. On hearing this from the Jews, Prophet (saw)said, “We are more closely related to Musa than you.” So the Prophet (saw) directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashura. (Abu Dawood) According to another Hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of Ashura should be either preceeded or suceded by an additional fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9 th and 10 th of Muharram or the 10 th and 11 th . The reason of this additional fast as mentioned by the Prophet (saw)is that the Jews used to fast on the day of Ashura alone, and the Prophet (saw)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 Ashura.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 07:14:44 +0000
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