Why you should fast the day of ‘Ashura
Don’t forget to fast the day of ‘Ashura!
(The tenth of Muharram)
Here’s why.
1. It will forgive a whole year of sin.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
❝Fast the Day of Ashura, for indeed I anticipate that Allah will forgive (the sins of) the year before it.❞
Imam Al-Nawawi was of the opinion that this day expiates all minor sins; meaning major sins still require repentance.
2. It is the day Allah ﷻ saved Musa.
When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, he saw the Jews fasting the day of ‘Ashura. They said, “This is the day when Moses became victorious over Pharaoh”
The Prophet ﷺ said to his companions,
❝You (Muslims) have more right to celebrate Moses’ victory than they have, so observe the fast on this day.❞
3. The Prophet ﷺ prioritised fasting this day.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:
❝I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of ‘Ashura.❞
Al-Bukhari
4. He would’ve also fasted the ninth as well.
The Prophet said that ❝If I live to see the next year, God willing, we will fast on the ninth day too.❞ But it so happened that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away before the next year came.
Muslim
Imam Nawawi states that the reason to fast the ninth along with the tenth is to differentiate our fast from the fasting of the Jews, as indicated by Ibn ‘Abbas.
5. It occurs in a sacred month.
The month of Muharram, in which ‘Ashura falls, is a sacred month. This means that good deeds will bring about a greater reward while sins will be considered far more serious.
The Prophet also particularly recommended us to increase our fasts this month when he said,
❝The most excellent fast after Ramadan is God’s month. al-Muharram…❞
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