On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet said, 'We are more closely related to Musa than you' and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashurah. They said that it was the day on which the Holy Prophet Musa (Moses) and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously and the Pharaoh was drowned in its water. The Holy Prophet, when migrated to Madinah, found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. The day is named Ashurah.Īccording to the Holy companion Ibn Abbas. Therefore, one should avail of this opportunity as much as we can.Īlthough the month of Muharram is a sanctified month as a whole, yet, the 10th day of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days. On the contrary, each fast during this month has merit. The Hadith does not mean that the award promised for fasts of Muharram can be achieved only by fasting for the whole month. the fasts one observes out of his own choice without being obligatory on him. The Hadith cited above signifies that the fasts of the month of Muharram are most reward-able ones among the Nafl fasts i.e. 'The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram.'Īlthough the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, yet, the one who fasts in these days out of his own will and choice is entitled to a great reward by Allah Almighty. The month of Muharram has certain other characteristics peculiar to it, which are specified below. In the Shariah of our Holy Prophet the sanctity of these months was upheld and the Holy Quran referred to them as the 'sanctified months'. Since the Pagans of Makkah attributed themselves to Sayyidina Ibrahim they observed the sanctity of these four months and despite their frequent tribal battles, they held it unlawful to fight in these months. Thus, the sanctity of these four months was recognized right from the days of Sayyidina Ibrahim. When Allah Almighty chooses a particular time for His special blessings, then it acquires sanctity out of His grace. In fact, every month, out of the twelve, is originally equal to the other, and there is no inherent sanctity, which may be attributed to one of them in comparison to other months. But these four months were specifically termed as sanctified months for the simple reason that their sanctity was accepted even by the pagans of Makkah. The specific mention of these four months does not mean that any other month has no sanctity, because the month of Ramadan is admittedly the most sanctified month in the year. 'One year consists of twelve months, of which four are sanctified months, three of them are in sequence Zulqadah, Zulhijjah, Muharram, and the fourth is Rajab.'

All the commentators of the Holy Quran are unanimous on this point, because the Holy Prophet in his sermon on the occasion of his last Hajj, has declared: These four months, according to the authentic traditions are the months of Zulqadah, Zulhijjah, Muharram and Rajab. Among these (twelve months) there are four sanctified'. It is one of the four sanctified months about which the Holy Quran says, 'The number of the months according to Allah is twelve months (mentioned) in the Book of Allah on the day in which He created heavens and the earth. Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar Hijrah Calendar.

Start of islamic calendar