📘 ❞ Muharram and rsquo Ashura ❝ كتاب ــ محمد صالح المنجد اصدار 2004

عن كتاب Muharram and rsquo Ashura:
Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and bless-
ings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets

and Chief of the Messengers, and upon all his family and com-
panions.

Allah’s 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 Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
“Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve
months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allaah 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...” [Surah al-Tawbah 9:36]
Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the
three consecutive months of Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah
and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between
Jumaada and Sha’baan.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2958)
Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (muharram) month
and to confirm its sanctity.


Allaah’s words (interpretation of the meaning): “...so wrong not
yourselves therein...” mean do not wrong yourselves in these
sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in
other months.
It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas said that this phrase “...so
wrong not yourselves therein...” referred to all the months,
then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in

these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater re-
ward.

Qataadah said concerning this phrase “...so wrong not your-
selves therein...” that wrongdoing during the sacred months is

more serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at any other time.
Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but Allaah gives
more weight to whichever of His commands He will. Allaah has
chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from among
the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He
chose from among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr). He
chose from among the earth the mosques, from among the
months Ramadaan and the sacred months, from among the days
Friday and from among the nights Laylat-ul-Qadr, so venerate

that which Allaah has told us to venerate. People of understand-
ing and wisdom venerate the things that Allaah has told us to

venerate. (Summarized from the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer, may Al-
laah have mercy on him. Tafseer of Surat al-Tawbah, aayah 36).



The Virtue of Observing more Naafil Fasts during Muhar-
ram

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadaan
is fasting Allaah’s month of Muharram.’ ” (Reported by
Muslim, 1982)
The phrase “Allaah’s month,” attributing the name of the month

to the name of Allaah in a genitive grammatical structure, signi-
fies the importance of the month. Al-Qaari said: “The apparent

meaning is all of the month of Muharram.” But it was proven
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
never fasted any whole month apart from Ramadaan, so this
hadeeth is probably meant to encourage increasing one’s fasting
during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast for the
entire month.
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) used to fast more in Sha’baan. It is likely that the
virtue of Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his

life, before he was able to fast during this month. (Sharh al-
Nawawi ‘ala Saheeh Muslim).


Allaah Chooses Whatever Times and Places He Wills
Al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Times and places may be given preferred status in two
ways, either temporal or religious/spiritual. With regard to
the latter, this is because Allaah bestows His generosity on
His slaves at those times or in those places, by giving a

greater reward for deeds done, such as giving a greater re-
ward for fasting in Ramadaan than for fasting at all other

times, and also on the day of 'Aashooraa, the virtue of which
is due to Allaah’s generosity and kindness towards His
slaves on that day...” (Qawaa’id al-Ahkaam, 1/38)


















The Virtues of Allah’s sacred month of Muharram and Fasting on Aashooraa.