Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Two meanings can be derived from the intention of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: (1) Along with the tenth of Muharram, he would also fast on the ninth of Muharram, so that there would be opposition to the Jews. (2) In the future, he would fast only on the ninth of Muharram, so that there would be no resemblance to the Jews. Therefore, this issue has remained disputed among the pious predecessors (salaf salihin) as well, although the opinion of the majority of scholars and jurists is that the Day of Ashura is indeed the tenth of Muharram, whereas the view of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu is that the Day of Ashura is the ninth of Muharram. The opinion of the majority appears to be the stronger one. In this case, the meaning of the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wa sallam intention would be that we will fast on the ninth of Muharram along with the tenth, so that we may oppose the Jews, just as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade fasting on Saturday; his purpose was to avoid resemblance to the Jews, as the commentator of Abu Dawud, Allamah Azimabadi, has stated. However, in that case, permission was given that if one fasts on Friday along with Saturday, then fasting on Saturday is also permissible. Another example supporting this position is as follows: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah radi Allahu anhu: … The Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! Indeed, the People of the Book wear leather socks (khuff) and do not wear shoes. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Wear shoes and go light, and oppose the People of the Book.)) In this hadith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not instruct to abandon the socks in order to oppose the People of the Book, but rather added the use of shoes along with them. The form of opposition became that they wear only socks, while we wear both socks and shoes. Similarly, fasting on the ninth along with the tenth of Muharram is also a form of opposing the People of the Book. And Allah knows best.

The first meaning of the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wa sallam intention is the stronger one, and the following narrations support this meaning. The wording of a narration in Sahih Muslim is as follows: Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu says: When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam fasted on the Day of Ashura and ordered the people to do so, the Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! The Jews and Christians also venerate this day. Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((If next year comes, insha’Allah, we will fast on the ninth.)) He said: The next year did not come before the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam passed away.

The wording of the narration in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir of Tabarani is as follows: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((If I live until next year, insha’Allah, I will fast on the ninth, out of fear that the Day of Ashura might be missed.)) (Sahihah: 350) Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma said: Fast on the ninth and the tenth, and oppose the Jews. (Sunan al-Bayhaqi: 4/287)

Fasting on Friday along with Saturday, and wearing shoes and socks together, is established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, so this is correct, and this is also a form of opposition. Similarly, if fasting on the ninth and tenth of Muharram together were established from you (the Prophet), we would say that this too is a form of opposition. Since this is not established, in this case, the original form of opposition is that the day (the tenth of Muharram) on which the Jews fast, that day should not be fasted, and this is the meaning of the hadith of Muslim, and this is what Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma understood. Therefore, he is telling the one who asks about Ashura that your fast should be on the morning of the ninth of Muharram.

The meaning of this hadith is that if one fasts on the tenth, there is resemblance to the Jews, and if one does not fast on the ninth, then the fast of the Day of Ashura will be missed altogether. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that out of fear of missing the fast of Ashura altogether, I will fast on the ninth, so that both opposition (to the Jews) is achieved and the fast is observed. (Abdullah Rafiq)