The significance of day of Ashura

By Ibraham Ajazz

There are certain days in the year which are more virtuous than others, one such day is the 10th of Muharram which is known as the Day of Ashura.
The word Ashura is derived from the word “Asharah”, which means ten in Arabic. The Day of Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram.

Significance of Ashura:

According to Imam Al-Ghazali, writing in his Mukhashfa al-Qulub, Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra) was asked why the day of ’Ashura was considered so noble. Umar (ra) listed a few events which had taken place on ’Ashura, including:

Allah created the skies and earth on this day.
Allah created Angel Jibril (as)
Allah created Adam (as), as well as Hawwa (as)
Allah created Jannah
Allah enabled Adam (as) to live in Jannah
The first rain to fall on earth was on ’Ashura
Battle of Karbala
The day Allah freed Musa (A.S)

Therefore, since before the beginning of human history, ’Ashura has been filled with significant events.

Relief for Prophet Nuh (as) on ’Ashura:
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Nuh (as) was a truly amazing person. For around 950 years, he called his people to Allah, yet in all that time, only a small group of people believed in him. The rest of his people were filled with enmity and hostility towards him. In Nuh’s own words, as related by Allah:

’He said, “My Lord, indeed I invited my people (to truth) night and day. But my invitation increased them not, except in flight. And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with (great) arrogance. Then I invited them publicly. Then I announced to them and I (also) confided to them secretly. And I said, ’Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send (rain from) the sky upon you in (continuing) showers, and give you increase in wealth and children, and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers‘“’. [Qur’an, 71:5-12]

In these beautiful words, Nuh (as) invited his people to a Forgiving Lord and a Generous Lord, both in public and individually, yet they rejected him. For almost a thousand years, he appealed to their hearts and minds to recognise the truth of Allah’s grandeur, yet they hated him and ridiculed him.

Finally, Allah ordered Nuh (as) to build an Ark and afterwards sent a Flood upon the earth, which only the passengers of the Ark survived. The waves were as high as the mountains and the rain fell for months. Eventually, Allah stopped the rain and the earth swallowed the water.

Relief for Prophet Musa (as) on ’Ashura:
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Ibn Abbas (ra) said, ’The Prophet (saw) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of ’Ashura. He said, “What is this?” They said, “This is a righteous day, it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Musa (as) fasted on this day”. He said, “We have more right to Musa (as) than you”, so he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day’. [Bukhari]

On ’Ashura, the Children of Israel escaped from Egypt and the oppression of the Pharaoh. Allah tells us:

‘Then We inspired to Musa (as), “Strike with your staff the sea”, and it parted, and each portion was like a great towering mountain. And We advanced thereto the pursuers. And We saved Musa (as) and those with him, all together. Then We drowned the others’. [Qur’an, 26:63-66]

The martyrdom of Husayn (ra) on ’Ashura:
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One of the most significant events that occurred in the month of Muharram was the Battle of Karbala, which took place in Iraq in Muharram 61 AH.

It was fought between a small army consisting of the family and companions of Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of the Prophet (PBUH), and a much larger army sent by Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the Umayyad Caliph at that time.

The battle took place because Imam Hussain (AS) refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid ibn Muawiyah, who had taken it upon himself to assume the Muslim leadership after the death of his father.

On the 10th Muharram, the Day of Ashura, Imam Hussain (AS) was brutally martyred by the enemy camp. This is a very significant day in Islamic history as Imam Hussain (AS) and 72 other martyrs, mainly consisting of the male members of the family of the Prophet (PBUH) all sacrificed their lives as a stand against oppression and to preserve Islam.

Husayn (ra) was martyred on Friday 10th Muharram AH (10th October 680), at aged 56. He was martyred in Karbala, with sixteen people from his family (rh), as well as seventy-two of his followers (rh). This is according to the histories of Tabari and Suyuti.

Before being martyred, Husayn (ra), his family and his followers were tested for many days. They went without food and water in the scorching open fields of Karbala, in addition to enduring the grief and pain of being tortured in this way by the army of Yazid, led by Ibn Sa’d.

On 10th Muharram, Allah took Husayn (ra) back to Him. The details of how he and his family were martyred are painful to recount. Like Allah’s prophets (as), they were tested with immense hardship on ’Ashura and in the days leading up to it. We pray Allah rewards them immensely and with the highest status possible, and we pray He grants us even a fraction of their devotion and patience, ameen.

Fasting the 9th of Muharram:
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The scholars of Islam consider it recommended to fast on the 9th of Muharram along with the 10th of Muharram (‘Ashura). This is due to the Hadith:

When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) fasted on the day of ‘Ashura and told the people to fast, they said, “O Messenger of Allah, this is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Next year, if Allah wills, we will fast on the ninth day.” But by the time the following year came, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had passed away. (Muslim)

The Prophet (pbuh) wanted to fast on the 9th, in order to differ from the People of the Book.

Fasting the 11th of Muharram?
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Some of the scholars also considered fasting on the 11th of Muharram to be recommended. This could be if one misses the 9th or it could be in order to ensure one catches the 10th of Muharram. Therefore it is virtuous to fast:

Just the day of Ashura
or to fast the 9th and 10th,
or to fast the 10th and 11th.

Virtues of Ashura
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Fast: Keep a fast on the 9th and 10th Muharram (the day of Ashura), or on the 10th and 11th Muharram. Fasting expiates sins.
Read the Qur’an: If you are unable to fast, reading the Qur’an or doing Dhikr can help you to feel the blessings of Muharram. Remember, any gathering for the sake of Allah SWT will also be filled with barakah and the Angels will join you.
Give Sadaqah: Helping those in need around the world is one of the most virtuous deeds and doing so on this blessed day can earn great rewards, It is also a Sunnah to spend money on one’s family on the day of Ashura.

Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said, ‘’one who generously spends on his family on the day of Ashura, Allah (SWT) will be generous on him for the entire year (Baihaqi)

May Allah (swt) forgive our past sins on the blessed day of ’Ashura, as He forgave the people of Yunus (as). May He relieve us of hardship, as He relieved the people of Musa (as) from hardship. May He lift any burdens from our loved ones, as He lifted the burdens of His servant Ayyub (as).

May Allah bless us and provide for us, as He blessed Sulayman (as). May He give us the opportunity to do good for His sake and multiply our rewards on blessed ’Ashura and beyond.

May Allah make us among those He loves, and bring us close to the Prophets (as), and close to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his family, in this life and the next, Ameen.