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The Day of Ashura'
Author : An Article by His Grace Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh
Date Added : 19-09-2018

 

 

The tenth day of the Sacred Month is called Ashura' according the majority of Muslim scholars, such as Saeed Ibn Al-Mosaib, Al-Hassan Al-Basri, Malik, Ahmad, Isaac among others, since Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah enjoined fasting the tenth day for the  Day of Ashura." [At-Tirmithi]

 

Some narrations on fasting the aforementioned day:

 

1. Ibn Abbas narrated: "I never saw the Prophet (PBUH) seeking to fast on a day more (preferable to him) than this day, the day of 'Ashura', or this month, i.e. the month of Ramadan." [Agreed upon].

 

In his commentary on the aforementioned Hadith, Al-Hafez Ibn Hajar (May Allah have mercy on his soul) said: "In terms of reward, the day of Ashura' is the best day to be fasted after Ramadan. However, Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: "according to what he heard:" Fasting the day of Ashura' atones the sins of the preceding year, and fasting the day of Arafah atones the preceding and the current year. Ibn Abbas is of the view that the reward for fasting the day of Arafah is greater than that of Ashura'. However, he combined them in his narration, although fasting the former is obligatory while fasting the latter is recommended, to indicate that a person will be rewarded for fasting both. This is because the meaning of (seek), as mentioned in the narration, is intending and desiring to fast the day of Ashura` to gain the whole reward.

 

Ibn Omar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: "In Jahiliyah' (Pre-Islamic period of ignorance), we used to observe fast on the day of Ashura`.But, when fasting at the month of Ramadan was prescribed, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "This is one of the days of Allah; he who wishes may fast on it." [Agreed upon].

 

2. Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated: "During the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance the Quraish used to observe fasting on the day of 'Ashura', and the Prophet (PBUH) himself used to observe fasting on it too. However, when he came to Medina, he fasted on that day and ordered the Muslims to fast on it. When (the order of compulsory fasting in ) Ramadan was revealed, fasting in Ramadan became an obligation, and fasting on 'Ashura' was given up, and who ever wished to fast (on it) did so, and whoever did not wish to fast on it, did not fast. [Agreed upon]. In addition, Al-Imam An-Nawawi (May Allah have mercy on his soul) said (What means): "The majority of the Muslim scholars are of the view that fasting the day of Ashura' is a recommended deed, not an obligation."

 

3. Moreover, Abu Qatada reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said (What means): "fasting on the day of 'Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura may atone for the sins of the preceding year." [Moslim].

 

 

The Wisdom behind fasting it:

 

The day of Ashura' is the day in which Allah, The Exalted, saved His Prophet Musa and his people from the Pharaoh and his army. As an act of thankfulness to Allah, Musa fasted that day. Our Prophet (PBUH) has fasted that day and commanded Muslims to do so where he (PBUH) said (What means): "We have more right to Musa than you do."

 

Actually, the Prophet (PBUH) along with all the members of the Muslim nation have more right to Musa and other Prophets and Messengers than non-Muslims, because they respect, adore and believe in all of them (Prophets and Messengers) without any sort of distinction or preference; constituting a patron to their religion (Islam), the religion of Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.

 

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) recommended fasting this day since it reflects a great wisdom, among others, and that is: Allah's religion is one and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent to complete this message.

 

Is it reprehensible to fast only the day of Ashura'?

 

Ibn 'Abbas reported that when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) fasted on the day of 'Ashura and commanded that it should he observed as a fast, they (his Companions) said to him:  "Messenger of Allah, it is a day which the Jews and Christians hold in high esteem. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: When the next year comes, God willing, we would observe fast on the 9th But the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) died before the advent of the next year." [Moslim].

 

 

Furthermore, Al-Hafeth Ibn Hajar (May Allah have mercy on his soul) said (What means): "When the Prophet(PBUH) intended to fast the 9th day: This implies fasting  it in addition to the 10th in order to free ones-self from the liability or, according to the closest interpretation, to do contrary to the Jews and Christians. This is according to many narrations by Moslim and Ahmad who reported the following traceable Hadith that Ibn Abbas narrated, The Prophet (PBUH) said (What means): "Fast the day of Ashura' contrary to the Jews; by fasting a day before or after it." And this was the last narration in this regard. And Allah Knows Best.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

If a traveler settles or a sick person recovers while fasting, is it permissible for them to break their fast?

● If a sick person starts the day fasting and then recovers during the day, they must complete their fast.
● If a traveler starts the day fasting and then settles (returns or stops traveling) during the day, they must also complete their fast.
● It is forbidden for both of them to break their fast because the concession (rukhsah) is no longer valid once its reason disappears.

How can I love the prayer (Salah) and start praying?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Love for the prayer (Salah) comes when you realize that this world is fleeting and the Hereafter is everlasting. Your prayer is the righteous deed that will comfort you in your grave and be your salvation before Allah in the Hereafter. Do you not wish to attain tranquility in this life and Paradise in the next? Reflect upon your state and do not delay, for life does not wait. We ask Allah to grant us and you steadfastness (Thabat).

What is the ruling on a Friday sermon in which the khaṭīb did not explicitly exhort the congregation to be conscious of Allah (taqwā) in both sermons, but sufficed with commanding them to obey Allah and refrain from disobeying Him?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
For the Friday sermon (khuṭbat al-Jumʿah) to be valid, certain essential pillars (arkān) must be fulfilled. Among these is the exhortation to be conscious of Allah (waṣiyyah bi-taqwā Allāh), which must be present in both sermons. Alongside this pillar, the praising of Allah (ḥamdallah) and the sending of blessings upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are equally required.
Shaykh al-Islām Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "These three are pillars in each of the two sermons, because each sermon is independent and separate from the other." [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj,Vol.4/P.447]
It is not a condition that the exhortation be expressed in any specific wording, nor is it required that the word "taqwā" itself be used — such as saying "I exhort you to be conscious of Allah." Rather, this pillar is fulfilled by any expression that contains a command to obey Allah the Almighty and to abstain from what He has prohibited.
Imām al-Khaṭīb al-Sharbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "The third pillar is the exhortation to taqwā... The specific wording of this exhortation is not required, according to the most correct view, because the purpose is admonition and the urging of obedience to Allah the Almighty. Therefore, any expression that conveys admonition suffices — whether long or short — such as: 'Obey Allah and be ever mindful of Him.'" [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj,Vol.1/P.550]
Accordingly, what the khaṭīb has done — by commanding obedience to Allah and forbidding disobedience to Him in both sermons — is valid and sufficient. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on someone who wakes up in a state of janābah (major ritual impurity) near the very end of the prayer's designated time, during cold weather — should he heat water in order to perform ghusl, even though the prayer's time will expire as a result, or should he perform tayammum instead?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If the water is cold, and cannot be used due to fear of harm that is not ordinarily tolerable, or that would result in illness, then in this case it becomes obligatory to heat the water — even if heating it causes the time for Fajr to expire — and no sin is incurred in doing so, due to his valid excuse. He may not resort to tayammum (dry ablution) instead, since water remains available [and merely needs to be heated].
Imam Shihāb ad-Dīn Aḥmad ar-Ramlī (raḥimahullāh) said: "He was asked regarding a person who, if he were to use cold water, would experience harm that permits tayammum, and who has access to something with which he could heat the water — but if he heats it, the prayer's time will expire. Is it obligatory for him to heat it even if the time expires, or should he pray with tayammum within the prescribed time? He answered that it is obligatory for him to heat the water, even if the time for that particular obligatory prayer expires." [Fatāwā ar-Ramlī, Vol.1/P.98]
Imam al-Bājūrī (raḥimahullāh) said in his Ḥāshiyah on Sharḥ Ibn Qāsim (Vol.1/P.173): "And if he fears [harm] from using cold water, and is currently unable to heat it, but knows of a place where firewood is available, such that if he were to go there he would not return until after the prescribed time has expired — what appears [to be the correct position] is that it is obligatory for him to go and seek the firewood, even if the time expires as a result, as this is the position ultimately settled upon by ar-Ramlī, and as related from him by Ibn Qāsim." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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