Authored by: Qari Usama bin Abdus-Salam (حفظه الله)
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Fasting on the Day of Ashura, I hope from Allah that it will expiate (the sins of) the year before it."
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 1738)
He was asked: "Which prayer is best after the obligatory prayers? And which fasting is best after the month of Ramadan?"
He replied: "The best prayer after the obligatory ones is the prayer during the depth of the night. And the best fasting after the month of Ramadan is the fasting of the month of Allah, Al-Muharram."
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1163)
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever fasts on the Day of Arafah, it will be an expiation for the sins of two years. And whoever fasts a day in the month of Muharram, he will receive the reward of thirty days for each day."
(Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib by Al-Mundhiri, 2/129; Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani)
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever increases his spending on his family on the Day of Ashura, Allah will increase his provision for him throughout the year."
(Musnad Razin)
I never saw the Prophet (ﷺ) giving preference to a day for fasting and preferring it over others except for this day, the Day of Ashura, and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan.
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2000)
The Prophet (ﷺ) fasted on the Day of Ashura and ordered its fasting. When Ramadan was made obligatory, the fasting of Ashura was abandoned (as an obligation).
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2000)
Another narration from Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما):
The Prophet (ﷺ) said regarding Ashura: "If one wishes, he may fast."
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2000)
In the era of ignorance, the Quraysh used to fast on the Day of Ashura, and the Prophet (ﷺ) also fasted it. When he came to Madinah, he fasted on it and commanded its fasting. Later, when Ramadan was made obligatory, the fasting of Ashura became voluntary.
(Muwatta Malik, Hadith 611)
When the Prophet (ﷺ) came to Madinah, he saw the Jews fasting on the Day of Ashura. He asked them about it, and they said: "This is a righteous day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, so Musa fasted on this day." The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "We are more entitled to Musa than you," so he fasted on it and commanded its fasting.
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2004)
When the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered fasting on Ashura, the people said: "O Messenger of Allah, it is a day revered by the Jews and Christians."
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If I live till the next year, I will fast on the 9th also."
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2667-1134)
➤ The Prophet (ﷺ) intended to fast on the 9th in addition to the 10th to differ from the Jews.
When you see the crescent of Muharram, count and fast on the 9th.
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2664-1133)
➋ No authentic or Hasan narration from any Companion or Tabi'i establishes fasting only on the 9th without the 10th. Anyone who claims so is challenged to provide a narration till the Day of Judgment.
➌ During the Khilafah of Mu'awiyah (رضي الله عنه), while addressing from the pulpit, he mentioned fasting on the 10th, and none of the Companions objected, establishing a form of consensus.
➍ The preferred practice, as adopted by scholars, is to fast the 9th and 10th together. If one cannot fast on the 9th, then fasting the 10th and 11th as well is acceptable to differ from the Jews.
May Allah grant all of us the ability to live our lives according to the Qur'an and Hadith.
آمين يارب العالمين
Rulings and Issues of Ashura: The Virtue of Fasting on Ashura
❀ Hadith of Abu Qatadah (رضي الله عنه)
Abu Qatadah (رضي الله عنه) said:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Fasting on the Day of Ashura, I hope from Allah that it will expiate (the sins of) the year before it."
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 1738)
❀ Hadith of Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه)
Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:He was asked: "Which prayer is best after the obligatory prayers? And which fasting is best after the month of Ramadan?"
He replied: "The best prayer after the obligatory ones is the prayer during the depth of the night. And the best fasting after the month of Ramadan is the fasting of the month of Allah, Al-Muharram."
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1163)
❀ Hadith of Abdullah bin Abbas (رضي الله عنهما)
Abdullah bin Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever fasts on the Day of Arafah, it will be an expiation for the sins of two years. And whoever fasts a day in the month of Muharram, he will receive the reward of thirty days for each day."
(Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib by Al-Mundhiri, 2/129; Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani)
❀ Hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه)
Ibn Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه) narrated:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever increases his spending on his family on the Day of Ashura, Allah will increase his provision for him throughout the year."
(Musnad Razin)
❀ Hadith of Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما)
Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) said:I never saw the Prophet (ﷺ) giving preference to a day for fasting and preferring it over others except for this day, the Day of Ashura, and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan.
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2000)
❀ Fasting on Ashura Became Voluntary
Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:The Prophet (ﷺ) fasted on the Day of Ashura and ordered its fasting. When Ramadan was made obligatory, the fasting of Ashura was abandoned (as an obligation).
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2000)
Another narration from Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما):
The Prophet (ﷺ) said regarding Ashura: "If one wishes, he may fast."
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2000)
❀ Historical Background of Fasting on Ashura
Aishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:In the era of ignorance, the Quraysh used to fast on the Day of Ashura, and the Prophet (ﷺ) also fasted it. When he came to Madinah, he fasted on it and commanded its fasting. Later, when Ramadan was made obligatory, the fasting of Ashura became voluntary.
(Muwatta Malik, Hadith 611)
❀ Reason for Fasting on Ashura
Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:When the Prophet (ﷺ) came to Madinah, he saw the Jews fasting on the Day of Ashura. He asked them about it, and they said: "This is a righteous day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, so Musa fasted on this day." The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "We are more entitled to Musa than you," so he fasted on it and commanded its fasting.
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2004)
Fasting on the 9th and 10th of Muharram
Narrated from Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما):When the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered fasting on Ashura, the people said: "O Messenger of Allah, it is a day revered by the Jews and Christians."
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If I live till the next year, I will fast on the 9th also."
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2667-1134)
➤ The Prophet (ﷺ) intended to fast on the 9th in addition to the 10th to differ from the Jews.
❀ Additional Narrations
Narrated by Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما):When you see the crescent of Muharram, count and fast on the 9th.
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2664-1133)
Important Notes
➊ Initially, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to fast only on the 10th of Muharram. After learning that the Jews revered the same day, he intended to add the 9th.➋ No authentic or Hasan narration from any Companion or Tabi'i establishes fasting only on the 9th without the 10th. Anyone who claims so is challenged to provide a narration till the Day of Judgment.
➌ During the Khilafah of Mu'awiyah (رضي الله عنه), while addressing from the pulpit, he mentioned fasting on the 10th, and none of the Companions objected, establishing a form of consensus.
➍ The preferred practice, as adopted by scholars, is to fast the 9th and 10th together. If one cannot fast on the 9th, then fasting the 10th and 11th as well is acceptable to differ from the Jews.
Summary of the Research
Based on the authentic Hadiths of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the practices of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), it is established to fast on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of Muharram.May Allah grant all of us the ability to live our lives according to the Qur'an and Hadith.
آمين يارب العالمين
