Month of Allah Al Muharram in Hadith of holy prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)

Fasting in the Month of Muharram especially the First Ten Days

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The best of fasts after the month of Ramadan are in the Month of Allah, Al Muharram. And the best of prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer.” Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him)[Muslim, 1163]

Fasting is a worship that Allah loves a lot. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The fasting person has two joys: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord.” [Muslim]

Giving Charity on the Day of ‘Ashura’

“Whoever fasts ‘Ashura’ it is as if he has fasted the entire year. And whoever gives charity this day it is like the charity of an entire year.” Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As (Allah be pleased with him)

Ashura: The Tenth day of Muharram

In this day Allah subhanahu wa ta'aala forgave an entire people. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “If you want to fast a month after Ramadan, then fast in the month of Muharram, for it has a day in which Allah forgave an entire people, and He turns to others in repentance in.” [Tirmidhi (841)]

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him and his father) was asked about fasting ‘Ashura’ [10th day of Muharram]. He said, “I did not see the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) fast a day while more avid to seek its virtue than this day,” meaning the Day of ‘Ashura’. [Bukhari (2006), and Muslim (1132)]

The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to fast this day even in Mecca, though he had not yet ordered others to do so. [Bukhari (2002), Muslim (1125)] When he migrated to Medina and found the People of the Book fasting this day, he ordered the Muslims to fast it, and encouraged it so much that even the children would fast it.

“When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) reached Medina, he found the Jews fasting the Day of ‘Ashura’, so he asked them, What is this day you are fasting? They said, “This is a tremendous day. Allah saved Musa (a.s) and his people on this day and drowned Pharaoh and his people. Musa (a.s) fasted it out of thanks, so we fast it too.” The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, “And we are more deserving of Musa (a.s) than you are.” So he fasted this day, and ordered that it be fasted. [Bukhari (2004) and Muslim (1130)]

At the end of his life, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) made the determination not to fast this day alone, but with another day, in order to be different from the People of the Book.

It has been reported in the Sahih of Imam Muslim (Allah have mercy on him), also from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) that, “When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) fasted the Day of ‘Ashura’ and ordered his companions to fast it, they said, “O Messenger of Allah! This is a day that the Jews and Christians venerate.” So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, “When next year comes, if Allah wills, we will fast the Ninth [of Muharram with it].” But the next year did not come before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) passed away [Muslim (1134), Abu Dawud (2445)].

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Fast the Day of ‘Ashura’ and be different from the Jews by fasting a day before it or a day after it.” [Ahmad]

Qayamul Lail: Night Prayer in Muharram

Allah (s.w.t) said:, “Lo! the vigil of the night is (a time) when impression is more keen and speech more certain.” [Qur’an, 73.9]

Tahajjud (night prayer) is the best of times for voluntary prayer, and the closest a servant gets to his Lord. It is a time when the doors of the skies are opened, supplications answered, and needs fulfilled.

The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, “Stick to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you. Night prayer is a means of closeness to Allah Most High, of expiating for bad deeds, avoiding sins, and keeping away illness from one’s body.” [Tirmidhi (3543), Bayhaqi]