Today is 3rd of Muharram, 1440AH, next week Thursday and Friday are the blessed day of Tasu'a and Asuuroh respectively where fasting is of great benefit.

First of all, it is very important to make it clear that fasting on the day of `Ashura’ – the 10th of Muharram- is of great merits in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Fasting the day of `Ashura’ (is of great merits), I hope that Allah will accept it as an expiation for (the sins committed in) the previous year” (Muslim) in (https://archive.islamonline.net/?p=5270).

Also, fasting the 9th of Muharram is highly recommended by the Sunnah. Imam At-Tirmidhi reported that Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say: We should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi)

Explaining the virtue of fasting on the 9th and the 10th of Muharram, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Society of North America, states:

It is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to fast on the 9th and 10th of Muharram. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him used to fast on the day of `Ashura’. When he came to Madinah, he found out that the Jews of Madinah were also fasting on this day remembering Prophet Musa (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) admired this tradition and said to the Jews, “I am closer to Musa than you are.” He fasted and he also told his Companions to fast on this day.

Later, before the end of his life, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told Muslims to add the 9th day also. Thus, it is recommended to fast on both the 9th and 10th of Muharram.

Moreover, in his well-known book, Fiqh As-Sunnah, the late Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq states:

Abu Hurayrah reported: “I asked the Prophet: ‘Which Prayer is the best after the obligatory Prayers?’ He said: ‘Prayer during the mid of the night.’ I asked: ‘Which fasting is the best after that of Ramadan?’ He said, ‘The month of Allah that you call Muharram’”(Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Dawud).

Mu`awiyyah ibn Abi Sufyan reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say:“Concerning the day of `Ashura’, it is not obligatory upon you to fast on it as I do. Whoever wishes may fast and whoever does not wish to is not obliged to do so” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

It is noteworthy that Muslim scholars have stated that fasting of `Ashura’ is of three levels as follows:

1. fasting for three days, i.e., on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of Muharram,

2. fasting the 9th and 10th of Muharram, and

3. fasting only the 10th of Muharram.

Ref: https://archive.islamonline.net/?p=5270

We are all advised to follow the way of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam as highlighted above.

Whatever 'Ibaadah that does not benefit the Prophet, his companions and their followers can never benefit us.

Shun Bid'ia and Embrace Sunnah!

Fasting the day of Ashura or Fasting 9th and 10th Muharram has great value in Islam. We fast because it is the Sunnah of our Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him). https://www.dawateislami.net/medialibrary/50070

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

I don't know why Ahlu Sunnah especially the Salafiyyah always pretend as if there is no giant Elephant in the room.

# Academically, reports on the fasting of Ashura are too contradictory that one begin to question the reality of Prophet ever fasting on that day.

1. Umm al-mumineen Aisha submitted that Ashura fasting preceded Islam, and that the Quraysh during the Jahilliyyah time including the Prophet used to fast that time in Makkah.

Source: Reference : Sahih Muslim 1125 a
In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 143 http://www.sunnah.com/muslim/13/143


2. Abdullah ibn Abbas on the contrary submitted that Prophet seemed to know NOTHING about the Ashura fasting until he arrived Madina when he met the Jews and they "prep" him on the importance of fasting on Ashura day.

Source: Reference : Sahih Muslim 1130 a
In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 162 http://www.sunnah.com/muslim/13/162


No doubt these are two contradictory reports. And as if it is not enough, Abdullah ibn Abbas further reported that:


3. When the sahabah "protested" that fasting Ashura will make them follow the Jews, Prophet allegedly asked them that NEXT YEAR the Muslim will fast tasua (9th day of Muharram) and Ashura (10th day) to make it different from the Jews. The hadith says Prophet died before the following year and never had the opportunity to fast tasua.

Source: Reference : Sahih Muslim 1134 a
In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 172 http://www.sunnah.com/muslim/13/172


OBJECTIONS:

# Why would the Prophet who allegedly fasted Ashura alongside the Quraysh before the advent of Islam suddenly turned naive when he met the Jews of Madina fasting the Ashura?

And it is preposterous to say he knew nothing about the alleged importance of Ashura, and only the Jews will had to inform him that. And it is blasphemous to suggest that the Prophet followed the Jews in their religion (baqarah: 120)


# Even if we agree for the sake of mutual understanding that what umm al-mumineen Aisha intends in her hadith was NOT days of ignorance but after hazrat Muhammad had became the Prophet or NOT even in his 13 years at Makkah but when he arrived Madina to align with Ibn Abbas report, the points then are:


1. Prophet spent 10 years in Madina.

2. Ramadan fasting was established in sura al-baqara which was revealed EARLIEST in Madina. Therefore Prophet's alleged command of Ashura fasting could only be between the 1st and 3rd year of his arrival in Madina. By 3rd year of Hijrah, Ramadan had became OBLIGATORY.

3. Establishment of Ramadan fasting earlier in Madina made Ashura fasting an ABANDONED or OPTIONAL fasting, making it of less value.

Imam Muslim documents:

Chapter: Fasting on the day of Ashura'

Jabir b Samura reported that the Messenger of Allah (s) commanded us to observe fast on the day of Ashura and exhorted us to do it and was particular about it. But when (fasting) in Ramadan was made obligatory, he henceforth neither commanded us nor forbade us, nor was he so particular about it

Reference : Sahih Muslim 1128
In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 158 http://www.sunnah.com/muslim/13/158


4. When did the sahabah "protested" that fasting Ashura will be tantamount to following the Jews?

That could only be when he arrived Madina before Ramadan was established in the earliest years of his arrival in Madina.


5. Therefore why did Ibn Abbas allegedly reported that Prophet "commanded" tasua (9th day) and Ashura (10th day) fasting but died before the following year, and could not fast tasua?

Prophet died in Safar of 11th year he arrived Madina.

The fact that Allah warned His Prophet and the Muslims never to follow the Jews and Christians in their religion (Q.2:120) very earlier in Madina around 2nd or 3rd year Hijrah, What took the Prophet and the Muslims so long to realize that fasting Ashura will be tantamount to following the Jews till 10th year of Hijrah when the fasting had even became abandoned or optional for the Prophet to allegedly "legislate" tasua along Ashura?

Afzalsheikh:
Fasting the day of Ashura or Fasting 9th and 10th Muharram has great value in Islam. We fast because it is the Sunnah of our Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him). https://www.dawateislami.net/medialibrary/50070

TAKE LESSON FROM ABDULLAH BIN UMAR

# Indeed fasting of Ashura, if truly Nabi once enjoined it, became an abandoned fasting so also is its purported virtues, on the establishment of fasting in the month of Ramadan


# Imam Bukhari documents the interpretation of "abandon ترك " of Ashura fasting by a Sahabi:

Narrated Ibn `Umar:

The Prophet (s) observed the fast on the 10th of Muharram ('Ashura), and ordered (Muslims) to fast on that day, but when the fasting of the month of Ramadan was prescribed, the fasting of the 'Ashura' was abandoned. Abdullah did not use to fast on that day unless it coincided with his routine fasting by chance .

Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1892
In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 2 http://www.sunnah.com/bukhari/30/2

# We ask, why the yearly campaign of this abandoned practice?

The other sunnah practice they ignore but they tend to follow what was abandoned