In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

YBTC News—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).

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)

Muharram as we know is part of the four sacred months in islam. Abu Bakarah ( may Allah be pleased with him ) reported that the Prophet ( peace and blessings of Allah be upon him ) said: “The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumadah and Sha’ban.”
Moreover, in Fiqh As-Sunnah , it is stated that ,

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..


Continue here: http://ybtcnews.com/2019/09/06/friday-sermon-fasting-on-the-day-of-ashura-the-10th-of-muharram-by-aliyu-shugaba/

EXPOSING THE MYTH OF ASHURA FASTING

1. Imam Muslim documents:

A'isha (r) reported that the Quraish used to fast on the day of 'Ashura in the pre-Islamic days and the Messenger of Allah (s) also observed it. When he migrated to Medina, he himself observed this fast and commanded (others) to observe it. But when fasting during the month of Ramadan was made obligatory he said: He who wishes to observe this fast may do so, and he who wishes to abandon it may do so"

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

 
2. Imam Muslim documents:

Ibn Abbas (r) reported that when Allah's Messenger (s) came to Medina, he found the Jews observing the fast on the day of Ashura. They were asked about it and they said: It is the day on which Allah granted victory to Moses and Bani Isra'il over the Pharaoh and we observe fast out of gratitude to Him. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (s) said: We have a closer connection with Moses than you have, and he commanded to observe fast on this day."

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


OBSERVATION:

# If we infer from the hadith of Umm al-Mumineen Aisha that Prophet had been observing Ashura fasting since his time in Makkah with the pagan Quraysh ever before his Prophethood, then this will grossly contradict the hadith of Ibn Abbas which showed the Prophet's naivety of Ashura fasting and its importance.



CONTRADICTORY HADITH THAT BLEW UP THE WHOLE STORY

Imam Muslim continues his documentation:


Ibn 'Abbas reported that when the Messenger of Allah (s) fasted on the day of 'Ashura and commanded that it should be 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 (s) said: When the next year comes, God willing, we would observe fast on the 9th But the Messenger of Allah (s) died before the advent of the next year"

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


 This hadith which claimed Prophet died the following year he commanded the fasting of Ashura, clearly suggest he might have spent 2 - 3 years in al-Madinah. This  is contradictory to established facts of 10 years he spent in al-Madinah.

* If we however suggest that this command and complaint (of the companions) about Ashura fasting was on the 9th or 10th year of Hijra (migration to Madina) that the Prophet entered al-Madinah; therefore, he died the following year – 10th or 11th year,  then it render the previous ahadith of Aishah, Jabir et al useless since they claimed fasting of Ramadan (established in 2nd year) made fasting of Ashura abandoned or optional.

* There is absolutely no suggestion in this hadith that there was a time difference between the command of Ashura fasting and the complaint of the Sahabah. Even if we fabricate a gap period, the question is what made the complaint of the Sahabah and the Prophet’s realization so late for about 8 - 9 years?

 The fact that Allah has declared in the 1st or 2nd year of Prophet's arrival in al-Madinah:

"Never will the Jews and the Christians be satisfied with thee (Muhammad) unless you follow their form of religion. Say (O Muhammad)  'The guidance of God, that is the (only) Guidance.‟ Were you to follow their desires after the knowledge which has reached you, then you will neither find protector or helper against God” (Baqarah: 120)
 
So, neither the Prophet nor the Sahabah will be heedless of this verse. The valid conclusion is that both the command and complaint as expressed in the hadith took place in the 1 - 2nd year of Hijra. And the fact that the hadith later claim the Prophet died the following year collapse the whole pack of lies about the Tasu'a and Ashura fast.


ASHURA FASTING IS AN ABANDONED FASTING

Why would Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa ahli take the word of the Jew for legislation? Is there a record for it in their Torah that Prophet Musa fasted on Ashura?

"And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place; there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month of Abib."[Exodus 13: 3 - 4]

Apart from the fact that there is zero confirmation of this fasting in al-Furqan (The criterion, Quran) or a revelation to the Prophet to validate it despite the detailed account of Prophet Musa in the Quran, the month of Abib of the Jew had never synchronized with the Arab’s month of Muharram. Therefore, it is a myth or misinformation of the Jew to the Prophet that such fasting was being observed in Arab's month of Muharram, and it's called Ashura. Furthermore, Allah says concerning the Jews and their scripture:

"And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture.  And they say, “This is from Allah,” but it is not from Allah. And they speak untruth about Allah while they know "[Ahl-Imran: 78]

Apart from the fasting of Ramadan which apparently made fasting of Ashura an abandoned fast, Allah declares in the same surah al-Baqarah:

"Never will the Jews and the Christians be satisfied with thee (Muhammad) unless you follow their form of religion. Say (O Muhammad)  'The guidance of God, that is the (only) Guidance.‟ Were you to follow their desires after the knowledge which has reached you, then you will neither find protector or helper against God” [Baqarah: 120]


This cast a lots of doubts and arguments about the truthfulness of the fast of Tas’ua and Ashura.  So for the sake of argument, if at all the Prophet once fasted Ashura for what the Jews claimed, then this command (and the command of fasting of Ramadan) truly render this "Jewish practice" abandoned.

If because of the statement, "We have more claim over Moses than you”, fasting of Ashura was established, then why cant the Prophet also embrace the day Manna was sent from heaven as Eeed[*] after all Prophet Eesa is more closer to Islam than Christianity?

[*]: Sura al-Maidah: 112 - 114



COMMANDS OF THE QURAN

Quran further states in another early Madinan surah:

 "He it is Who sent His Apostle with the guidance and the true religion, that He may make it overcome the religions, all of them, though the polytheists may be averse”[sura Saf: 9]

Indeed fasting of Ashura, if truly the Prophet ever enjoined it, became an abandoned fasting so also is its purported virtues. Imam Bukhari documents the interpretation of "abandon " 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”.

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



We are therefore obliged to ask, why the yearly campaign of this abandoned practice? To revive an abandoned practice is nothing but heresy.