✿ Yawm ʿĀshūrāʾ: Is It the 9th or 10th of Muḥarram? ✿
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasted on the 10th of Muḥarram and instructed the people to fast on that day, some companions said:
“Indeed, the Jews and Christians honor this day.”
So the Prophet ﷺ replied:
صمنا اليوم التاسع
“Next year, we shall fast on the 9th (as well).”
However, the Prophet ﷺ passed away before the next year arrived.
[Muslim: 1134, Kitāb al-Ṣiyām: Bāb Ayyu Yawm Yuṣām fī ʿĀshūrāʾ; Abū Dāwūd: 2445]
In another narration:
لئن بقيت إلى قابل لأصومن التاسع
“If I live till next year, I shall definitely fast on the 9th.”
[Muslim: 1134; Ibn Mājah: 1736; ʿAbd ibn Ḥumayd: 671]
✔ It is established that the Prophet ﷺ himself fasted on the 10th, and later intended to include the 9th.
Hence, Yawm ʿĀshūrāʾ refers specifically to the 10th of Muḥarram.
➡ This is the position of the majority of scholars (jumhūr) including:
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما also narrated another view:
Yawm ʿĀshūrāʾ refers to the 9th of Muḥarram.
[Muslim: 1133]
However, this interpretation is not adopted by the majority.
“صوموا التاسع والعاشر وخالفوا اليهود”
“Fast on the 9th and 10th and oppose the Jews.”
[Bayhaqī in Maʿrifah al-Sunan wa al-Āthār: 8966, 6/350; Fatḥ al-Rabbānī: 1/189; Ṭaḥāwī: 2/78; ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 7839]
✔ Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Bannā authenticated this mowqūf narration.
This is why Imām al-Shawkānī said:
“Whoever intends to fast on the 10th should also fast on the 9th.”
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 2/148]
The narration:
“وصوموا قبله يوما أو بعده يوما”
“Fast a day before (the 9th) or a day after (the 11th).”
This ḥadīth is weak due to the presence of Ibn Abī Laylā and Dāwūd ibn ʿAlī, both of whom are weak narrators.
[Aḥmad: 1/241; Ibn Khuzaymah: 2095; Al-Kāmil: 3/956; Bayhaqī al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 4/287]
✔ The most cautious and recommended practice is to fast both the 9th and 10th of Muḥarram, as this was the intended Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and is supported by a ṣaḥīḥ mowqūf narration from Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما.
✔ Fasting only the 9th is also permissible, as the Prophet ﷺ expressed that desire.
Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله noted:
The ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim regarding the Prophet ﷺ saying:
“If I remain alive next year, I will fast the 9th.”
Can be understood in two ways:
① That the 9th would replace the 10th as the main day to fast.
② That the Prophet ﷺ intended to add the 9th to the 10th to distinguish from the Jews.
➡ Since the Prophet ﷺ passed away before specifying it, the precautionary practice is to fast both the 9th and 10th.
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 4/773]
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
❖ Origin of Fasting on the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasted on the 10th of Muḥarram and instructed the people to fast on that day, some companions said:
“Indeed, the Jews and Christians honor this day.”
So the Prophet ﷺ replied:
صمنا اليوم التاسع
“Next year, we shall fast on the 9th (as well).”
However, the Prophet ﷺ passed away before the next year arrived.
[Muslim: 1134, Kitāb al-Ṣiyām: Bāb Ayyu Yawm Yuṣām fī ʿĀshūrāʾ; Abū Dāwūd: 2445]In another narration:
لئن بقيت إلى قابل لأصومن التاسع
“If I live till next year, I shall definitely fast on the 9th.”
[Muslim: 1134; Ibn Mājah: 1736; ʿAbd ibn Ḥumayd: 671]❖ Clear Indication: ʿĀshūrāʾ Refers to the 10th of Muḥarram
✔ It is established that the Prophet ﷺ himself fasted on the 10th, and later intended to include the 9th.
Hence, Yawm ʿĀshūrāʾ refers specifically to the 10th of Muḥarram.➡ This is the position of the majority of scholars (jumhūr) including:
- Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib
- Ḥasan al-Baṣrī
- Imām Mālik
- Imām Aḥmad
- Imām Isḥāq, and many others.
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/224]
❖ Minority View: ʿĀshūrāʾ Means the 9th
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما also narrated another view:
Yawm ʿĀshūrāʾ refers to the 9th of Muḥarram.
[Muslim: 1133]However, this interpretation is not adopted by the majority.
❖ Authentic Mowqūf Report: Fasting 9th and 10th to Oppose Jews
“صوموا التاسع والعاشر وخالفوا اليهود”
“Fast on the 9th and 10th and oppose the Jews.”
[Bayhaqī in Maʿrifah al-Sunan wa al-Āthār: 8966, 6/350; Fatḥ al-Rabbānī: 1/189; Ṭaḥāwī: 2/78; ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 7839]✔ Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Bannā authenticated this mowqūf narration.
This is why Imām al-Shawkānī said:“Whoever intends to fast on the 10th should also fast on the 9th.”
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār: 2/148]❖ Weak Report Regarding Fasting 9th or 11th Along with 10th
The narration:
“وصوموا قبله يوما أو بعده يوما”
“Fast a day before (the 9th) or a day after (the 11th).”
This ḥadīth is weak due to the presence of Ibn Abī Laylā and Dāwūd ibn ʿAlī, both of whom are weak narrators. [Aḥmad: 1/241; Ibn Khuzaymah: 2095; Al-Kāmil: 3/956; Bayhaqī al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 4/287]❖ Preferred (Rājiḥ) View
✔ The most cautious and recommended practice is to fast both the 9th and 10th of Muḥarram, as this was the intended Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and is supported by a ṣaḥīḥ mowqūf narration from Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما.
✔ Fasting only the 9th is also permissible, as the Prophet ﷺ expressed that desire.
❖ Explanation by Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله
Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله noted:
The ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim regarding the Prophet ﷺ saying:
“If I remain alive next year, I will fast the 9th.”
Can be understood in two ways:
① That the 9th would replace the 10th as the main day to fast.
② That the Prophet ﷺ intended to add the 9th to the 10th to distinguish from the Jews.
➡ Since the Prophet ﷺ passed away before specifying it, the precautionary practice is to fast both the 9th and 10th.
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 4/773]