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Virtues of Muharram

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I want to ask that is there any special virtues or is it sunnat to fast and observe extra ibadat in month of muharram? 

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

  • Fasting in the holy month of Muharram is very virtuous and yields great reward. Consider the following hadith:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ، بَعْدَ رَمَضَانَ، شَهْرُ اللهِ الْمُحَرَّمُ، وَأَفْضَلُ الصَّلَاةِ، بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ، صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ»

Abu Haraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger () as saying: The most excellent fast after Ramadan is God’s month. al-Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is prayer during the night.[1]

  • Additionally, one should try and fast on the 10th of Muharram which is called ‘Aashooraa’. Consider the following hadiths:

عَنْ بَعْضِ، أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ: «كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ تِسْعَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَيَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ، وَثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ، أَوَّلَ اثْنَيْنِ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ وَالْخَمِيسَ»

Narrated One of the wives of the Prophet: Hunaydah ibn Khalid narrated from his wife on the authority of one of the wives of the Prophet () who said: The Messenger of Allah () used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, Ashura’ and three days of every month, that is, the first Monday (of the month) and Thursday.[2] 

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَجَدَ الْيَهُودَ يَصُومُونَ عَاشُورَاءَ، فَسُئِلُوا عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالُوا: هَذَا الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي أَظْهَرَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ مُوسَى عَلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَنَحْنُ نَصُومُهُ تَعْظِيمًا لَهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نَحْنُ أَوْلَى بِمُوسَى مِنْكُمْ»، وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ

Ibn ‘Abbas said: When the Prophet () came to Medina, he found the Jews observing fast on the day of ‘Ashurah; so they were asked about it (by the Prophet). They said: This is a day on which Allah gave Moses domination over Pharaoh. We fast on it out of reverence to him. The Messenger of Allah () said: We have a closer connection with Moses than you have. He then gave orders that it should be observed.[3] 

عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ، إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ.

Abu Qatadah narrated that: the Prophet said: “Fast the Day of Ashura, for indeed I anticipate that Allah will forgive (the sins of) the year before it.”[4] 

NOTE: When fasting on the day of ‘Aashooraa’ one should also fast either on the day before it or after it in order to avoid imitation of the Jews.[5] 

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad Haris Siddiqui

Student Darul Iftaa
Melbourne, Australia 

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.


[1]   202 – (1163) حَدَّثَنِي قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ، بَعْدَ رَمَضَانَ، شَهْرُ اللهِ الْمُحَرَّمُ، وَأَفْضَلُ الصَّلَاةِ، بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ، صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ» (مسلم)

[2]  2437 – حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنِ الْحُرِّ بْنِ الصَّيَّاحِ، عَنْ هُنَيْدَةَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ امْرَأَتِهِ، عَنْ بَعْضِ، أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ: «كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ تِسْعَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَيَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ، وَثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ، أَوَّلَ اثْنَيْنِ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ وَالْخَمِيسَ» (أبو داود)

[3]  2444 – حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بِشْرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَجَدَ الْيَهُودَ يَصُومُونَ عَاشُورَاءَ، فَسُئِلُوا عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالُوا: هَذَا الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي أَظْهَرَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ مُوسَى عَلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَنَحْنُ نَصُومُهُ تَعْظِيمًا لَهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نَحْنُ أَوْلَى بِمُوسَى مِنْكُمْ»، وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ (أبو داود)

[4]  752 – حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ الضَّبِّيُّ، قَالاَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ غَيْلاَنَ بْنِ جَرِيرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ، إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ. (ترمذي)

[5]  133 – (1134) وحَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنِي إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا غَطَفَانَ بْنَ طَرِيفٍ الْمُرِّيَّ، يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا، يَقُولُ: حِينَ صَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّهُ يَوْمٌ تُعَظِّمُهُ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَإِذَا كَانَ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ صُمْنَا الْيَوْمَ التَّاسِعَ» قَالَ: فَلَمْ يَأْتِ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ، حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ (مسلم)

وَرُوِيَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: صُومُوا التَّاسِعَ وَالعَاشِرَ وَخَالِفُوا اليَهُودَ. (ترمذي)

Islamic Months by Mufti Taqi pg.15

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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