The Virtues Of The Tenth Day Of Muharram | Why You Should Fast The Day Of Ashura
It will forgive a whole year of sin.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“For fasting the day of ‘Ashura, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.”
(Muslim, 1976)
It is the day Allah saved Musa.
When the Prophet came to Madinah, he saw the Jews fasting the day of ‘Ashura. When he asked them why they replied: “This is a righteous day…”
“It is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Musa fasted on this day.”
The Prophet replied,
“We have more right to Musa than you.” So he fasted that day and commanded the Muslims to do the same.
(Al-Bukhari, 1865)
The Prophet prioritised fasting this day.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:
“I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of ‘Ashura.”
(Al-Bukhari, 1867)
He would’ve also fasted the ninth as well.
The Prophet said that ‘If I live to see the next year, God willing, we will fast on the ninth day too.’ But it so happened that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away before the next year came.”
(Muslim, 1916)
It occurs in a sacred month.
The month of Muharram, in which ‘Ashura falls, is a sacred month. This means that good deeds will bring about a greater reward while sins will be considered far more serious.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Quran 9:36)
The Prophet also particularly recommended us to increase our fasts this month when he said,
“The best of fasting after Ramadan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.”
