Fasting 10th muharram for karbala ashura.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
How
can you ignore the fact that the 10th of muharram is most significant because
of the martyrdom of the Prophet's family in the battle of
Your
response to one of our brother's question on "fasting in Muharram"
was indeed informative. However, only if you had also acknowledge the fact that
this day was also reserved for the family of Prophet (Imam Hussain
A.S. and his family and companions) to sacrifice their lives for the sake of
saving Islam, that would have really graced an honest response from a Muslim
(not withstanding Shia / Sunni Fiqh). Let us learn to honor, respect
and acknowledge others faiths beliefs and not ignore it. It only reflects the
obvious.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Fasting 10th
muharram for
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.172 Narrated by Aisha
Ashura' (i.e. the tenth of Muharram) was a
day on which the tribe of Quraish used to fast in the pre-Islamic period of
ignorance. The Prophet (saws) also used to fast on this day. So when he (saws)
migrated to
Ibn 'Abbas reported: "The Prophet (saws)
came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of 'Ashurah. He (saws)
said to them: 'What is this fast?' They said: 'A great day. Allah saved Moses
and the tribes of
Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Ibn 'Abbas reported: "The Messenger of Allah (saws) fasted
on the day of 'Ashurah and ordered the people to fast on it. The people said:
'O Messenger of Allah (saws) , it is a day that the Jews and Christians honor.'
The Prophet (saws) said, 'When the following year comes--Allah willing--we
shall fast (also) on the ninth.' The death of the Prophet (saws) came before
the following year."
Related by Muslim and Abu Dawud.
The tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram holds a
very significant place as it is recorded in history that not only did Allah
Subhanah save the Noble Prophet Moses and the believers from the clutches of
the Pharaoh, but it was on this day of Muharram that Allah Subhanah saved
Prophet Noah (a.s.) and the believers from the flood, accepted the repentance
and saved the Noble Prophet Yunus (a.s.) from the stomach of the fish, and
cured the illness of the Noble Prophet Ayyub (a.s.).
The tenth of Muharram was a day which not only the pagans
of Quraish, but also the Jews and the Christians of the time held in honor
before the advent of Islam; and they commemorated this day by fasting. The Messenger of Allah (saws) declared that
the believers, because of their true belief upon all the previous Prophets of
Allah, had more right to honor this day and he (saws) encouraged the believers
to differ from the pagans and fast two days, either the 9th and the
10th or the 10th and the 11th, in
commemoration of this great day.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood 2419 (part)
Narrated by Abu Qatadah
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘…..I
seek from Allah that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah’ may atone for the sins of
the preceding and the coming year; and I seek from Allah that fasting on
the days of ‘Ashura' may atone for the sins of the preceding year.’
Your
Question: …..how can you ignore the fact that the 10th of muharram is most
significant because of the martyrdom of the Prophet's family in the battle of
Respected brother in Islam, the Glorious Quran was
completely revealed and the Sunnah or practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws)
was completely established before his (saws) death…..whatever transpired after
the death of the Messenger of Allah (saws) is but the ‘history of the muslims’.
The unfortunate events that transpired in the barren
fields of ‘karbala’ on the day of Ashura with the noble companion and beloved
grand-son of the Prophet, the Noble Hadrat Hussain ibn Ali (r.a.) and his
family is and remains, without an iota of a doubt, one of the darkest recorded
days from the ‘history of the muslims’.
It is also an undeniable fact that the unfortunate events
that transpired in ‘karbala’ on the day of ‘ashura’ happened long after the
death of the Prophet (saws)…..and the Prophet (saws) ordained the fasting of
the days of ‘ashura’ in his own lifetime….thus unless and until one happens to
suggest or has reason to believe that the Messenger of Allah (saws) knew the ‘unseen’
or the events of the future (for that then would be against the very guidance
of the Glorious Quran!), the fact is that the unfortunate events that
transpired in ‘karbala’ with the noble Hadrat Hussain ibn Ali (r.a.) and his
family have absolutely nothing to do with the guidance of fasting on the days
of ‘ashura’!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam
verse 50:
50 (O Prophet (saws)) Say: "I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden nor
do I tell you I am an Angel. I but
follow what is Revealed to me."
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraf
verses 187-188:
187 They ask thee (O Prophet (saws)) about the (Final) Hour; when will
be its appointed time? Say: "The
knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone): none but He can reveal as to when it
will occur. Heavy were its burden
through the heavens and the earth. Only
all of a sudden will it come to you. They ask thee as if thou wert eager in
search thereof: Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah (alone) but most
men know not."
188 (O Prophet (saws)) Say: "I have no power
over any good or harm to myself except as Allah Willeth. If I had knowledge of the unseen I should
have multiplied all good and no evil should have touched me; I am but a
warner and a bringer of glad tidings to those who have faith."
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 27 Surah
Naml verses 65-66:
65 (O Prophet (saws)) Say: ‘None in the heavens or on earth except Allah Knows what is
hidden: nor can they perceive when they shall be raised up (for Judgment).
66 Still less can their knowledge comprehend the Hereafter: Nay! They
are in doubt and uncertainty thereof; Nay! They are blind thereunto!’
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 109:
109 One day will Allah gather the Messengers all together and ask:
"What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)? They will reply: "We have no knowledge:
it is Thou who Knows in full all that is hidden.
If the commemoration of attaining the noble station of
martyrdom was to be endorsed by observing fasts in Islam, the Messenger of
Allah (saws) would have guided the believers to fast on the Day of Uhud when
his own noble and beloved uncle, Hadrat Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib (r.a.) and
almost seventy of his noble companions were martyred!.....or the Messenger of
Allah (saws) would have guided the believes to commemorate the day of the
Battle of Muta with fasting when stalwarts amongst the noble companions of the
stature of his (saws) own cousin Hadrat Jaafar ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.), and his
adopted son, the noble Hadrat Zaid ibn Haritha (r.a.), and the noble Ansari
Hadrat Abdullah ibn Rawaaha (r.a.) were martyred!....or the Prophet (saws)
would have himself fasted and guided the believers to fast on the anniversary
of the days when the Noble Prophets of Allah Hadrat Zakariyyah (a.s.) and
Hadrat Yahya (a.s.) were martyred in the Cause of Allah!
There is absolutely no evidence in the authentic and
established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he gathered believers
every year to commemorate the anniversary of the eventful days of Badr, or
Uhud, or Muta, or the anniversary of the days when Prophet Zakariyyah (a.s.)
and Prophet Yahya (a.s.) were martyred; nor did he (saws) gave fiery sermons
every year on its anniversary recounting the unimaginable hardships and
miseries faced by the believers on those eventful days; nor did he (saws) guide
the believers to commemorate and fast on the anniversary of these eventful days
of Badr, and Uhud, and Muta which incidentally find mention even in the
Glorious Quran!!!
We reiterate again brother that as dark and as unfortunate
the day of ‘karbala’ is from amongst all the pages of the ‘history of the
muslims’ after the death of the Noble Prophet (saws), it has absolutely nothing
to do with Sunnah of fasting on the days of Ashura in Muharram!
Respected brother, we have provided you with our reasoning
and understanding of the Quran and the Sunnah why the day of ‘karbala’ has
nothing to do with the Sunnah of fasting on the days of ‘Ashura’……now in all
humility, we ask you to provide your evidence from the Quran and the authentic
and established Sunnah whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) endorsed the
fasting of the day of ‘Ashura’ because of the events which were to take place
long after his death on the fields of ‘karbala’.
If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and
commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws),
one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any
other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be
assured of being led astray.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister