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Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
Virtue of Observing Voluntary Fasting during Muharram
QUESTION: What are the virtues of the month of Muharram?
An ANSWER is provided by IOL Shari`ah Researchers
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A Muslim is to be keen to get closer to Allah and draw nearer to Him all the time. Such keenness gains more weight and significance during blessed occasions and times. One of these occasions in which a Muslim should exert more effort and show more keenness is the month of Muharram.
To shed more light on the significance of worship in this blessed month we would like to cite for you the following:
''Indeed, the sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says,(Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein)''. (At-Tawbah 9: 36)
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Time has come back to its original state which it had when Allah created the Heavens and the Earth; the year is twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them are in succession: Dhul-Qa`da, Dhul-Hijja and Al-Muharram, and (the fourth being) Rajab Mudar (named after the tribe of Mudar as they used to respect this month) which stands between Jumad (ath-Thani) and Sha`ban."
Muharram is called so because it is a sacred (muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity Allah Almighty says, (so wrong not yourselves therein), which means do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months.
The Virtue of Observing More Voluntary Fasting during Muharram:
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.''
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It is noted that The Prophet (SAW) fasted on the day of ?Aashoora and encouraged that his companions fast on that day. The sahaabah (his companions) said, ?Messenger of Allah, it is a day which the Jews and Christians hold in high esteem.? Thereupon the Messenger of Allah said, ??When the next year comes, inshaa ?Allah, we would fast on the 9th (i.e. the ninth as well as the 10th in order to differ from the disbelievers)''.
? But the Messenger of Allah died before the advent of that next year. Therefore we can fast that day and one day before it (the 9th), following the Prophet?s Sunnah.
Muslims also benefit from the story of Prophet Moosa (pbuh) by learning that the Sunnah of the Prophets is to THANK and PRAISE Allah (SWT) in times of peace and when they gain victory over their enemies. Moosa fasted on the 10th, the day on which Allah made his followers victorious over Pharaoh; and this is another sign that the truth will always defeat falsehood.
The Prophet fasted on this day thanking Allah for the victory of the people of the truth over the people of falsehood.
The victory in that time was for Moosa, but the Sunnah of the prophets is one. This is the jihaad against the disbelievers - to make the word of Allah the highest on earth. Victory always comes from Allah and victory is a ni?mah (bounty) from Allah for which we must thank Allah (SWT) by being obedient to Him.
Unfortunately, nowadays, some (Muslims) people create bid?ah (innovation in the deen) and deviant slogans and even hold demonstrations. Islam forbidds this.
Allah (SWT) know best.
And when Allah Almighty referred to the commission of our beloved Prophet (saw) He said (what means): ?And We have not sent you, , except as a mercy to the worlds.? .
An ANSWER is provided by IOL Shari`ah Researchers
----------------------------------- ------------
A Muslim is to be keen to get closer to Allah and draw nearer to Him all the time. Such keenness gains more weight and significance during blessed occasions and times. One of these occasions in which a Muslim should exert more effort and show more keenness is the month of Muharram.
To shed more light on the significance of worship in this blessed month we would like to cite for you the following:
''Indeed, the sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says,(Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein)''. (At-Tawbah 9: 36)
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Time has come back to its original state which it had when Allah created the Heavens and the Earth; the year is twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them are in succession: Dhul-Qa`da, Dhul-Hijja and Al-Muharram, and (the fourth being) Rajab Mudar (named after the tribe of Mudar as they used to respect this month) which stands between Jumad (ath-Thani) and Sha`ban."
Muharram is called so because it is a sacred (muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity Allah Almighty says, (so wrong not yourselves therein), which means do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months.
The Virtue of Observing More Voluntary Fasting during Muharram:
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.''
----------------------------------- ----------------------------
It is noted that The Prophet (SAW) fasted on the day of ?Aashoora and encouraged that his companions fast on that day. The sahaabah (his companions) said, ?Messenger of Allah, it is a day which the Jews and Christians hold in high esteem.? Thereupon the Messenger of Allah said, ??When the next year comes, inshaa ?Allah, we would fast on the 9th (i.e. the ninth as well as the 10th in order to differ from the disbelievers)''.
? But the Messenger of Allah died before the advent of that next year. Therefore we can fast that day and one day before it (the 9th), following the Prophet?s Sunnah.
Muslims also benefit from the story of Prophet Moosa (pbuh) by learning that the Sunnah of the Prophets is to THANK and PRAISE Allah (SWT) in times of peace and when they gain victory over their enemies. Moosa fasted on the 10th, the day on which Allah made his followers victorious over Pharaoh; and this is another sign that the truth will always defeat falsehood.
The Prophet fasted on this day thanking Allah for the victory of the people of the truth over the people of falsehood.
The victory in that time was for Moosa, but the Sunnah of the prophets is one. This is the jihaad against the disbelievers - to make the word of Allah the highest on earth. Victory always comes from Allah and victory is a ni?mah (bounty) from Allah for which we must thank Allah (SWT) by being obedient to Him.
Unfortunately, nowadays, some (Muslims) people create bid?ah (innovation in the deen) and deviant slogans and even hold demonstrations. Islam forbidds this.
Allah (SWT) know best.
And when Allah Almighty referred to the commission of our beloved Prophet (saw) He said (what means): ?And We have not sent you, , except as a mercy to the worlds.? .