Brothers and sisters, a great and blessed month has approached, the month of Allaah, Muharram, the first month of the Hijri year, one of the Sacred Months. Allaah says about this month (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein …" [al-Tawbah 9:36]
Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "… The year is twelve months, four of which are
sacred; three consecutive months – Dhoo’l-Qi’dah, Dhoo’l-Hijjah and Muharram – and Rajab
Mudar, which comes between Jumaadaa and Sha’baan." (Reported by al-Bukhaari).Muharram is so-called because it is sacred ("haraam") and as an affirmation of its sanctity.
The words of the aayah translated above as "so wrong not yourselves therein" mean that one should not do wrong in these sacred months because sin is worse in these months than at other times.
Ibn ‘Abbaas commented that this phrase ("so wrong not yourselves therein") referred to all the months, but four months were singled out and made sacred: violation of these months is a grave sin, sins committed during these months are more serious, and good deeds during these months will be more greatly rewarded.
Ibn Qutaadah said that this phrase meant that wrongdoing in the sacred months is more serious than wrongdoing at other times. Wrongdoing is a serious matter at any time, but Allaah may accord special status to things as He wills. [Ibn Qutaadah] said: "Allaah has specially chosen some of His creation: among the angels and mankind He has chosen some to be Messengers; of speech He has chosen His remembrance (dhikr); of the earth He has chosen mosques; of the months He has chosen Ramadaan and the Sacred Months; of the days He has chosen Friday (al-Jumu’ah); of the nights He has chosen Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power, one of the odd-numbered nights of the last ten nights of Ramadaan); so venerate that which Allaah has made great. People of understanding and wisdom venerate only that which Allaah has made great." (Summarized from the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him).
The virtue of observing many naafil (supererogatory) fasts during Muharram
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The best of fasts after Ramadaan is the
month of Allaah, Muharram, and the best of prayers after the obligatory prayer is prayer during
the night." (reported by Muslim).Adding the word Muharram to the name of Allaah in a genitive construction (shahr Allaah – the month of Allaah) is a sign of veneration or the according of special status.
Al-Qaari said: "The apparent meaning is the whole of Muharram." But it was proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any whole month
except for Ramadaan, so this hadeeth should be understood as encouraging us to observe
many fasts in Muharram, but not to fast the entire month.It has been proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
observed many fasts in Sha’baan, but the virtues of Muharram were probably not revealed to
him until the end of his life, so he was not able to fast during this month. (See al-Nawawi’s
commentary on Saheeh Muslim).The virtue of fasting on ‘Aashooraa’
The majority of earlier and later scholars say that ‘Aashooraa’ is the tenth day of Muharram. Among the reports that state its virtue is the following:
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "I never saw the Prophet
(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) more keen to fast any day than the day of ‘Aashooraa’
and any month than the month of Ramadaan." (Reported by al-Bukhaari).The phrase "more keen" means that he looked forward to fasting it in order to earn the reward for doing so.
The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Fasting the day of
‘Aashooraa’, I hope, will be an expiation for the year before." (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3853).This is from the Bounty of Allaah towards us: in return for fasting one day, He has given us expiation for the sins of an entire year. And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty.
Differing from the Jews on this day
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet
(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on ‘Aashooraa’. He
asked, ‘What is this?’ They said: ‘This is a good day; this is the day that Allaah saved the
Children of Israel from their enemies, so Moosa fasted on this day.’ He said, ‘We belong to
Moosa more than you do,’ so he fasted this day and commanded (his Companions) to do
likewise." (reported by al-Bukhaari).Where al-Bukhaari has the words, "This is a good day; this is the day that Allaah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies," a report narrated by Muslim says: "This is a great day, when Allaah saved Moosa and his people, and drowned Pharaoh and his people." Where al-Bukhaari has the words "so Moosa fasted on this day," Muslim adds: "in gratitude to Allaah, so we fast on this day." According to another reported narration by al-Bukhaari: "We fast on this day in recognition of its greatness." Imaam Ahmad also reported this, with the addition: "This is the day on which the Ark came to rest on (Mount) Joodi, so Nooh fasted this day in gratitude." Where the first report says, "and commanded (his Companions) to do likewise," another report also narrated by al-Bukhaari says: "He said to his Companions: ‘You belong to Moosa more than they do, so fast on this day.’"
The practice of fasting on ‘Aashooraa’ was known even in the days of Jaahiliyyah, before the Mission of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). ‘Aa’ishah (may
Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The people of Jaahiliyyah used to fast on this day."Al-Qurtubi said: Perhaps Quraysh based their observance of this fast on the laws revealed to Prophets such as Ibraaheem (upon whom be peace) in the past. It is also known that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast this day in Makkah,
before he migrated to Madeenah. When he came to Madeenah, he found the Jews celebrating
this day. He asked them about it, and they gave the answer indicated in the hadeeth quoted
above. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded the
Muslims to be different from the Jews and not to take this day as a celebration. This is reported
in the hadeeth of Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the
Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The day of ‘Aashooraa’
was taken by the Jews as a celebration (according to a report narrated by Muslim he said: "the
day of ‘Aashooraa’ was venerated by the Jews, who took it as a celebration"; or "the people of
Khaybar [the Jews] … take it as a celebration, and their women wear their jewellery and finery
on this day")… so you should fast on this day." (Reported by al-Bukhaari).The apparent meaning of this is that the reason for commanding the Muslims to fast on this day was a desire to be different from the Jews, who did not fast on this day, because fasting is not observed on a day of celebration. (Summarized from the words of al-Haafiz ibn Hijr, may Allaah have mercy on him, recorded in Fath al-Baari Sharh ‘ala Saheeh al-Bukhaari).
In order to further differentiate ourselves from the Jews, the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged us to fast the day before as well, as will be
explained below.Recommendation to fast on the ninth of Muharram as well as the tenth
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) said: "When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on the day of
‘Aashooraa’ and commanded his Companions to do likewise, they said, ‘O Messenger of
Allaah, it is a day which is venerated by the Jews and Christians.’ So the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Next year, in sha Allaah, we will fast
on the ninth day.’ But before the next year came, the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed away." (Reported by Muslim)Al-Shaafi’i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaaq and others said that it is encouraged to fast both the ninth and tenth day, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) fasted the tenth day, and intended to fast the ninth day.Some of the scholars suggested that perhaps the reason for fasting both the ninth and tenth days was so as not to resemble the Jews by fasting only the tenth day. Therefore the fast of ‘Aashooraa’ may be observed in different ways, the least of which is to fast the tenth day of Muharram only; better than this is to fast the ninth and tenth days together; and better than that is to fast the tenth and eleventh days. The more one fasts in Muharram the better, but we should avoid bid’ah (reprehensible innovations) during this special month. Some people take this day as a festival or celebration, which is not permitted. Some take it as an occasion for mourning and wailing, beating their chests, striking their heads with swords, shedding their blood and putting chains around their necks. This is an abhorrent innovation and is haraam; it has nothing whatsoever to do with Islam, and Islam has nothing to do with this innovation and those who practise it. Allaah is too merciful towards His slaves to command them to torture themselves in such an ugly fashion. May Allaah protect us from all this.
Brothers and sisters, strive to worship Allaah during this month in the ways that He likes and that will please Him, and in accordance with the Sunnah of the Chosen Prophet. We ask Allaah to guide us and to help us do that which will please Him, to remember Him, to give thanks to Him and to worship Him properly. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.