Rulings and Issues of Ashura: The Virtue of Fasting on Ashura
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ، أَنْبَأَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غَيْلَانُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ الزِّمَّانِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ.
Translation
Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I hope from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura will expiate the sins of the previous year.”
عن أبي هريرة: سُئلَ: أيُّ الصلاةِ أفضلُ بعد المكتوبةِ؟ وأيُّ الصيامِ أفضلُ بعد شهرِ رمضانَ؟ فقال ” أفضلُ الصلاةِ، بعد الصلاةِ المكتوبةِ، الصلاةُ في جوفِ الليل ِ. وأفضلُ الصيامِ، بعد شهرِ رمضانَ، صيامُ شهرِ اللهِ المُحرَّمِ .
Translation
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The most virtuous fasts after Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram, and the most virtuous prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer.”
Similarly,
[عن عبدالله بن عباس:] من صام يومَ عرفةَ كان له كفَّارةَ سَنتيْن، ومن صام يومًا من المُحرَّمِ فله بكلِّ يومٍثلاثون يومًا.
Translation
Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that he ﷺ said: “Whoever fasts on the Day of Arafah, its expiation will be for two years (of minor sins), and whoever fasts one day in Muharram, he will receive the reward of thirty days for every day.”
عن ابن مسعود قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : من وسع على عياله في النفقة يوم عاشوراء وسع الله عليه سائر سنته. رواه رزين
Translation
Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever expands on his family in provision on the day of Ashura, Allah will expand his wealth throughout the year.”
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنْ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ مَا رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَحَرَّى صِيَامَ يَوْمٍ فَضَّلَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ إِلَّا هَذَا الْيَوْمَ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَهَذَا الشَّهْرَ يَعْنِي شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ.
Translation
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) related: I did not see the Prophet ﷺ deliberately choose to fast on any day considered superior to other days except this day, the day of Ashura, and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan.
Whoever wishes may fast; it became a voluntary fast, having previously been obligatory
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ صَامَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ فَلَمَّا فُرِضَ رَمَضَانُ تُرِكَ وَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ لَا يَصُومُهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يُوَافِقَ صَوْمَهُ.
Translation
Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ fasted on Ashura and ordered the people to fast on it too. When the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory, the fast of Ashura was abandoned. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not fast it, unless it coincided with his (usual) fasting.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ إِنْ شَاءَ صَامَ .
Translation
Salim narrated from his father, Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Prophet ﷺ said: “On the day of Ashura, whoever wishes may fast.”
حَدَّثَنِی یَحْیَی، عَنْ مَالِکٍ، عَنْ ہِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَۃَ، عَنْ أَبِیہِ، عَنْ عَائِشَۃَ زَوْجِ النَّبِیِّ ﷺ ، أَ نَّہَا قَالَتْ : کَانَ یَوْمُ عَاشُورَائَ یَوْماً تَصُومُہُ قُرَیْشٌ فِی الْجَاہِلِیَّۃِ، وَکَانَ رَسُولُ اللّٰہِ ﷺ یَصُومُہُ فِی الْجَاہِلِیَّۃِ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللّٰہِ ﷺ الْمَدِینَۃَ صَامَہُ، وَأَمَرَ بِصِیَامِہِ، فَلَمَّا فُرِضَ رَمَضَانُ کَانَ ہُوَ الْفَرِیضَۃَ، وَتُرِکَ یَوْمُ عَاشُورَائَ، فَمَنْ شَائَ صَامَہُ، وَمَنْ شَائَ تَرَکَہُ۔
Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), wife of the Prophet ﷺ, narrates that she said: In the time of ignorance, the Quraysh used to fast on the day of Ashura, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ also used to fast it in the time of ignorance. Then when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Madinah, he fasted it and ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast it as well. Then when Ramadan was made obligatory, it alone became the obligation, and the day of Ashura was left. So whoever wished would fast it, and whoever wished would leave it.
Note
Therefore, it is established that this is a voluntary fast; whoever wishes may fast it, and whoever wishes may leave it.
The reason for fasting on Ashura
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَرَأَى الْيَهُودَ تَصُومُ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ ، فَقَالَ : مَا هَذَا ؟ قَالُوا : هَذَا يَوْمٌ صَالِحٌ ، هَذَا يَوْمٌ نَجَّى اللَّهُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ ، فَصَامَهُ مُوسَى ، قَالَ : فَأَنَا أَحَقُّ بِمُوسَى مِنْكُمْ ، فَصَامَهُ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ .
Translation
The Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah. (In the second year) he ﷺ saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He ﷺ asked them the reason, and they said: “This is a good day. On this day Allah rescued the Children of Israel from their enemy (Pharaoh). Therefore Musa (peace be upon him) fasted on this day.” He said: “Then we have a greater right to Musa than you (in sharing his joy).” So the Prophet ﷺ fasted on that day and ordered the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast it too.
Is fasting on the Day of Ashura prescribed, and is fasting the 9th of Muharram along with the 10th also necessary?
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ عَاشُورَاءَ، وَيَأْمُرُ بِصِيَامِهِ .
Translation
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would fast Ashura (the 10th of Muharram) and would order its fasting.
Note The majority of scholars of the earlier and later generations hold that Ashura refers to the 10th of the sacred month of Muharram.
وَعَن ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: حِينَ صَامَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ يَوْمٌ يُعَظِّمُهُ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَئِنْ بَقِيتُ إِلَى قَابِلٍ لأصومن التَّاسِع» .
Translation
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered the fasting of Ashura, they said: “O Messenger of Allah! It is a day that the Jews and Christians venerate.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If I remain alive until next year, I will fast the ninth (of Muharram) as well.”
إن عشت إن شاء الله إلى قابل صمت التاسع مخافة ان يفوتني يوم عاشوراء”.-” إن عشت إن شاء الله إلى قابل صمت التاسع مخافة أن يفوتني يوم عاشوراء
Translation
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If I remain alive next year, I will also fast the ninth of Muharram, so that the risk of missing the fast of the Day of Ashura is eliminated.”
إن عشت إن شاء الله إلى قابل صمت التاسع مخافة أن يفوتني يوم عاشوراء
من طريقين عن أحمد بن يونس أنبأنا ابن أبي ذئب عن القاسم بن عباس عن عبد الله بن عمير عن ابن عباس مرفوعا .
وحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ ، لَعَلَّهُ قَالَ: عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” لَئِنْ بَقِيتُ إِلَى قَابِلٍ، لَأَصُومَنَّ التَّاسِعَ “، وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، قَالَ: يَعْنِي يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ.
Translation
Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah, Abu Kurayb, Waki’, Ibn Abi Dhi’b, Qasim bin Abbas, Abdullah bin Umayr, Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he said the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If I remain alive until the coming year, I will surely fast the ninth as well.” And in the narration of Abu Bakr it is: he said: the fast of the day of Ashura.
Note
وحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعُ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ ، عَنْ حَاجِبِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ الْأَعْرَجِ ، قَالَ: انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا وَهُوَ مُتَوَسِّدٌ رِدَاءَهُ فِي زَمْزَمَ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ صَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ، فَقَالَ: ” إِذَا رَأَيْتَ هِلَالَ الْمُحَرَّمِ فَاعْدُدْ، وَأَصْبِحْ يَوْمَ التَّاسِعِ صَائِمًا، قُلْتُ: هَكَذَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُهُ، قَالَ: نَعَمْ
Translation
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah, Hajib ibn Umar, from Hakam ibn al-A’raj, narrates: I went to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) while he was leaning on his cloak at Zamzam. I said to him: “Inform me about the fast of Ashura.” He said: “When you see the crescent of Muharram, keep counting, and rise on the morning of the ninth day fasting.” I said: “Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) use to fast it in this way?” He said: “Yes.”
Note
If someone says: does this mean that the fast on the tenth of Muharram will not be observed? The answer is that Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) said:
وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْحَسَنِ : عَلِیُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدَانَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُبَیْدٍ الصَّفَّارُ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِیلُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا ہُشَیْمٌ (ح) وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُوالْحَسَنِ: عَلِیُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُقْرِئُ أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ حَدَّثَنَا یُوسُفُ بْنُ یَعْقُوبَ الْقَاضِی حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِیعِ حَدَّثَنَا ہُشَیْمٌ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ أَبِی لَیْلَی عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ عَلِیٍّ عَنْ أَبِیہِ عَنْ جَدِّہِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّہِ -ﷺ-: ((صُومُوا یَوْمَ عَاشُورَائَ وَخَالِفُوا فِیہِ الْیَہُودَ، صُومُوا قَبْلَہُ یَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْدَہُ یَوْمًا))۔ ہَذَا لَفْظُ حَدِیثِ الْمُقْرِئِ ، وَفِی رِوَایَۃِ ابْنِ عَبْدَانَ : ((صُومُوا قَبْلَہُ یَوْمًا وَبَعْدَہُ یَوْمًا))۔
Translation
Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Fast on the day of Ashura and oppose the Jews. Fast one day before it or one day after it.” (In the narration of Ibn Abdan it is: “Fast one day before it and one day after it.”)
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah has declared this narration sahih.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) has also declared it hasan.
مَا أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ : عَبْدُ اللَّہِ بْنُ یَحْیَی بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ بِبَغْدَادَ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِیلُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّفَّارُ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَیْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِی عَطَاء ٌ أَنَّہُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ یَقُولُ : صُومُوا التَّاسِعَ وَالْعَاشِرَ وَخَالِفُوا الْیَہُودَ۔ وَرَوَاہُ أَیْضًا عُبَیْدُ اللَّہِ بْنُ أَبِی یَزِیدَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ کَذَلِکَ مَوْقُوفًا۔
Ata narrates that he heard Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) say: “Fast the ninth and the tenth, and oppose the Jews.”
مَا أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ : عَبْدُ اللَّہِ بْنُ یَحْیَی بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ بِبَغْدَادَ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِیلُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّفَّارُ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَیْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِی عَطَاء ٌ أَنَّہُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ یَقُولُ : صُومُوا التَّاسِعَ وَالْعَاشِرَ وَخَالِفُوا الْیَہُودَ۔ وَرَوَاہُ أَیْضًا عُبَیْدُ اللَّہِ بْنُ أَبِی یَزِیدَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ کَذَلِکَ مَوْقُوفًا۔
(8404) Ata narrates that he heard Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) say: “Fast the ninth and the tenth, and oppose the Jews.”
And it is evident that the narrator knows his own narration best. Hafiz Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (773 AH – 852 AH) has mentioned this as an objection based on the principle of some people.
Important Points
➊ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast the tenth of Muharram first. When it became known that the Jews fast on that day, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all): “If I live until next year, I will also fast the ninth of Muharram.”
➋ It is not established by any definitively sahih or hasan chain from any Companion, Successor or scholar of hadith that only the tenth of Muharram should be fasted and the ninth should not. If any scholar has a narration with a sahih or hasan chain, let him present it; there is a challenge until the morning of Resurrection.
➌ Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) stood on the pulpit of the Prophet and addressed the people, saying that we will fast the tenth, and no Companion said that the fast of the tenth had been abrogated or that we would only fast the ninth. It was as if there was a consensus that fasting the ninth and the tenth is permissible, and the ruling of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) for this is established as clearly as the light of day.
Scholars and researchers have said that the preferred position is that the ninth be fasted along with the tenth. If one is unable to fast the ninth, then, in view of opposing the Jews, fasting the eleventh as well will, Allah willing, be accepted by Allah.
Warning
If someone insists that only the ninth should be fasted, he should be told: present one sahih hadith, or a sahih statement of a Companion, or a statement of a trustworthy Successor, in which it is stated that only the ninth should be fasted and fasting the tenth is not permissible. No one can present a hadith with a sahih chain, or a statement of a Companion or trustworthy Successor, to this effect.
Summary of Research
From the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and from the practice of the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), the fasting of the ninth, tenth and eleventh of Muharram al-Haram is established by all trustworthy hadith scholars. واللہ أعلم
May Allah grant all of us the ability to live our lives in accordance with the Qur’an and Hadith.
آمین یارب العالمین
