The wisdom behind Fasting On the Day of `Aashooraa

[Yahya Al-Amriky]

The wisdom behind Fasting On the Day of `Aashooraa

The wisdom behind this fast, the following is stated in the mukhtasar version of Ibn ul Qayyim’s “Zaad ul-Ma`aad”:

“The day of `Aashooraa was the day when Moosa and his men got freedom from the hands of the Pharaoh and it was in the sacred memory of this great event that the Muslims observed voluntary fasting. The idea underlying this is to stress the affinity amongst the messengers of Allah and to show that religious devotion is a constant flow from one generation to another. The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, came not to abrogate all the earlier religious practices but to codify and preserve them for all times to come in ideal forms.”

The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said about the voluntary fasting on the Day of `Aashoraa’:

“It expiates the sins of the preceding year.” [sahih Muslim]

Ibn `Abbas, radhiallahu `anhu, reported: “The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, came to al-Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of `Aashooraa. He asked them about that. They replied, ‘This is a good day, the day on which Allah rescued Baani Israa’eel from their enemy. So Moosa observed fast on this day.’ The Prophet said, ‘We have more claim over Moosa than you.’ So the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, observed fast on that day and ordered (the Muslims) to observe fast (on that day).” [sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]

Ibn `Abbas also reported, “The Messenger of Allah fasted on the day of `Aashooraa and ordered the people to fast on it. The people said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that the Jews and Christians honor.’ The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘When the following year comes - Allah willing - we shall fast on the ninth.’ The death of the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, came before the following year.” [sahih Muslim, Abu Dawud]

So it is recommended to fast on the 10th of Muharram and the 9th along with it as well.

Qadi ibn Rushd says in that the scholars disagreed whether the fast is to be done on the 9th or the 10th of Muharram based on the above traditions [Bidayat ul Mujtahid]. And I have found a recommendation to fast on both days in various books.

[Muferrid Muhammed Selefy]

Being Deceived by 'Aashuraa

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Al Mawsoo'ah P.31

"Such a deluded person is unaware that fasting Ramadaan and [praying] the five daily prayers are superior to and more dignified than fasting on 'Arafah or 'Aashuraa, and they only expiate [the sins committed] between them if the major sins are avoided. So [the fasting of] Ramadaan to Ramadaan and the Jum'ah prayer to the Jum'ah prayer can not expiate minor sins except if the major sins are abandoned in addition to that, so the two of these strengthen one another to expiate the minor sins.

Amongst the deluded are those who think that their obedience is greater than their sins. This is because they do not take themselves into account or count their sins, but they count and remember a form of obedience that they practice, like one who practices Istighfaar with his tongue and glorifies Allah a hundred times daily, then backbites the Muslims and tears up their reputations, speaks with what Allah is not pleased with all day. He continuously thinks about the virtues of the 'Tasbeehaat' and 'Tahleelaat' and pays no attention to the punishment of backbiting, lying and tale carrying and the other harms of the tongue. This is complete and utter deception."

[Muferrid Muhammed Selefy]

The Day of ‘Ashura: The Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh and His Army Who drowned

Imâm Ibn Kathîr
Tafsir Ibn Kathîr

Surah al-Baqarah
49. And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir'awn's (Pharoah) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.

50. And (remember) when We separated the sea for you and saved you and drowned Fir'awn's (Pharoah) people while you were watching. 

Allah said to the Children of Israel, “Remember My favor on you
  And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir’awn 's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment,   

meaning, ‘I - Allah - saved you from them and delivered you from their hands in the company of Musa, after they subjected you to horrible torture.’ This favor came after the cursed Pharaoh had a dream in which he saw a fire emerge from Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and then the fire entered the houses of the Coptics in Egypt, with the exception of the Children of Israel. Its purport was that his kingship would be toppled by a man among the Children of Israel. It was also said that some of Pharaoh’s entourage said that the Children of Israel were expecting a man among them to arise who would establish a state for them. We will mention the Hadith on this subject when we explain Surat Ta Ha (20), Allah willing. After the dream, Pharaoh ordered that every newborn male among the Children of Israel be killed and that the girls be left alone. He also commanded that the Children of Israel be given tasks of hard labor and assigned the most humiliating jobs.

The torment here refers to killing the male infants. In Surat Ibrahim (14) this meaning is clearly mentioned,

  Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your Sons and letting your women live. (14:6).   

We will explain this Ayah in the beginning of Surat AI-Qasas (28), Allah willing, and our reliance and trust are with Him.

The meaning of, [who were afflicting you]is, “They humiliated you,” as Abu 'Ubaydah stated. It was also said that it means, “They used to exaggerate in tormenting you” according to Al-Qurtubi. As for Allah saying, [killing your sons and sparing your women] that explains His statement, [who were afflicting you with horrible torment] then it explains the meaning of the favour He gave them, as mentioned in His statement, [Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you].

As for what Allah said in Surat Ibrahim, [And remind them of the annals of Allah] (14:5) meaning, the favours and blessing He granted them, He then said,

  Who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. (14:6)   

So Allah mentioned saving their children from being slaughtered in order to remind them of the many favors that He granted them.

We should state here that 'Pharaoh’ (Fir’awn) is a title that was given to every disbelieving king who ruled Egypt, whether from the ‘Amaliq (Canaanites) or otherwise, just as Caesar (Qaysar) is the title of the disbelieving kings who ruled Rome and Damascus. Also, Khosrau (Kisra) is the title of the kings who ruled Persia, while Tubb’a is the title of the kings of Yemen, and the kings of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) were called Negus (An-Najashi).

Allah said,

  And therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.   

Ibn Jarir commented that this part of the Ayah means, “Our saving your fathers from the torment that they suffered by the hand of Pharaoh, is a great blessing from your Lord" [At-Tabari 2:48] We should mention that in the blessing there is a test, the same as with hardship, for Allah said,

  And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good (21:35) and,

And We tried them with good (blessings) and evil (calamities) in order that they might turn (to obey Allah.) (7:168).   

Allah’s statement next,

  And (remember) when We separated the sea for you and saved you and drowned Fir’awn ‘s (Pharaoh) people while you were watching   

means, ‘After We saved you from Fir’awn and you escaped with Musa; Fir’awn went out in your pursuit and We parted the sea for you.’ Allah mentioned this story in detail, as we will come to know, Allah willing. One of the shortest references to this story is Allah’s statement,[And saved you] meaning, “We saved you from them, drowning them while you watched, bringing relief to your hearts and humiliation to your enemy.”

Fasting the day of 'Ashura'

It was reported that the day the Children of Israel were saved from Fir’awn was called the day of ‘Ashura’. Imam Ahmad reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah came to Al-Madinah and found that the Jews were fasting the day of ‘Ashura’. He asked them, “What is this day that you fast?” They said, “This is a good day during which Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, and Musa used to fast this day.” The Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi was salam said,
I have more right to Musa than you have. 

So the Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi was salam fasted that day and ordered that it be fasted. [This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasai and Ibn Maajah Ahmad 1:291, Fath Al-Bari 4:287, Muslim 2:796, An-Nasai in Al-Kubr 2:157, and Ibn Maajah 1:553]

[darultawhid_english]

Shaykhu'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "The expiation of purification, prayer, and fasting Ramadan, Arafah and Ashura applies to minor sins only."  (al-Fatawa al-Kubra, part 5)

Imam Nawawi said: "Fasting the day of Arafah expiates for all minor sins, in othr words this brings forgiveness for all sins except for major sins...Fasting the day of Arafah is an expiation for two years, and the day of Ashura is an expiation for one year, and if a person’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven…Each of the things mentioned may bring expiation. If he does something that expiates for minor sins he will be expiated, and if there are no minor or major sins, it will be recorded for him as good deeds and he will rise in status thereby…If there is one or more major sins and no minor sins, we hope that it will reduce his major sins." (al-Majmu Sharh al-Muhadhdhab)