Muharram, another New Year

The month of Muharram is a great and blessed month. It is the first month of the Hijri year and is one of the sacred months about which Allahﷻ says:

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ

Tawbah 9: 36  “Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred, (i.e. the 1st, the 7t , the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion…” 

Abu Bakrah (R) narrated that Rasoolullah said: “… The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive months, Dhu al-Qa‘dah, Dhu al-Hijjah and al-Muharram, and Rajab which comes between Jumada and Sha‘ban.” (Bukhari) 

Allama Ibn Katheer (RA), regarding this Ayah, explains, “Allah has chosen elites from His creation: from among the angels He chose Messengers, from among mankind He chose Messengers, from among speech He chose remembrance of Himself (Dhikr), from among spaces on earth He chose the mosques, from among the months He chose Ramadan and the sacred months. So, venerate that which has been chosen by Allah, because people of understanding and wisdom, respect that which has been chosen by Him”. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer)

Abu Hurairah (R) said that Rasoolullah said, “The best fast after Ramadan is in the month of Muharram.” (Muslim)

Rasoolullahﷺ encouraged fasting during the month of Muharram, particularly on the 10th day, called Ashoora, as a means of seeking Allahﷻ’s mercy and forgiveness. In Fiqh As-Sunnah, Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq  (RA) states: Abu Hurairah (R) reported, “I asked Rasoolullah, ‘Which Prayer is the best after the Fardh Prayers?’ He said: ‘Prayer during the middle of the night.’ I asked: ‘Which fasting is the best after that of Ramadan?’ He said, ‘The month of Allah that you call Muharram’.” (Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Dawud)

Rasoolullah  said, “Fasting the day of Ashoora (has great merit), I hope that Allah will accept it as an expiation for (sins in) the previous year.” (Muslim)

Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (RA) said, “When Rasoolullah  fasted on the day of Ashoora and told the people to fast, they said, “Ya Rasoolullah  this is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.” Rasoolullah  said, “Next year, if Allah wills, we will fast on the 9th day (also).” But by the time the following year came, Rasoolullahﷺ had passed away.  (Muslim). So let us fast on 9th and 10th.

Rasoolullah said, “One who generously spends on his family on the day of ‘Ashoora, Allah  will be generous on him for the entire year.” (Tabarani)

Regarding this, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) narrates that Sufyan Ibn Uyayna (RA) said, “I have practiced this (spending on the family) for fifty or sixty years and have found nothing but good in it.” (Lata’if al-Ma‘arif)

The day of ‘Ashoora was known to the Quraysh and to Rasoolullahﷺ in Makkah, and the Quraysh used to venerate it and fast on that day. It is believed that Nuh (AS)’s ship reached land on Mount Judi, and Musa (AS) led his people out of the slavery of Firawn on the day of Ashoora. The Quraysh venerated this day and considered it holy and used to change the cover of the Ka’aba on 10th of Muharram and would fast and pray specially on that day. Rasoolullahﷺ fasted it with them during his life in Makkah.

روى الشيخان عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: كانت قريش تصوم عاشوراء في الجاهلية، وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصومه، فلما هاجر إلى المدينة صامه وأمر بصيامه

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (RA) said: Quraysh used to fast on ‘Ashoora during the Jahiliya, and Rasoolullah used to fast on (that day) too. When he migrated to Madinah, he fasted this day and ordered that this fast be observed. When the month of Ramadan was enjoined, he said: “Whoever wishes may fast on (this day) and whoever wishes may leave it.” (Bukhari, Muslim) 

Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (RA) narrated that the people of the Jahiliya used to fast on the day of ‘Ashoora, and Rasoolullah and the Muslims fasted it before Ramadan was made obligatory. When the month of Ramadan was made obligatory, Rasoolullah said: “Ashoora is one of the days of Allah. So, whoever wishes may fast it and whoever wishes may omit it.” (Muslim). 

Muharram serves as a time for self-assessment and repentance. It is a reminder for us to reflect on our deeds, seek forgiveness for our sins, and strive to improve ourselves as individuals and as a community. Having said that, I remind myself and you that the time to change is as soon as we realize our mistakes and not wait for some auspicious month or day. We don’t know when we will die and so let us hasten and hurry to cleanup our act and get our lives in order so that we can meet Allahﷻ seeking His Mercy.

The Battle of Karbala was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram 61 AH) between the army of the second Umayyad Khalifa Yazid I (r. 680–683) and a small army led by Sayyidina Husain ibn Ali (RA), the grandson of Rasoolullahﷺ and the son of his daughter Sayyida Fatima (RA) and his cousin, Ali bin Abi Talib (R) at Karbala, Sawad (Southern Iraq). During this battle Sayyidina Husain (RA) was martyred along with most of his relatives and companions, and his surviving family members were taken prisoner.

There are a thousand very valuable lessons to be learnt from this entire period of history, which in effect began with the Shahada of Sayyidina Othman ibn Affan (R) on 17 June 656 (18, Dhul-Hijjah, 35 AH). It is a period to be studied, dispassionately and objectively, and the lessons derived from it applied in our lives. The Shahada of Sayyidina Husain ibn Ali (RA) was one of the greatest tragedies in Islam. Just like the Shahada of his brother Hasan ibn Ali (RA), his father Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Talib (RA) and his uncle Sayyidina Othman ibn Affan (R). May Allahﷻ grant them Jannatul Firdous.

We fast on Ashoora to follow the Sunnah of Rasoolullahﷺ who used to fast on this day in Makkah when the parents of Sayyidina Husain ibn Ali (RA) were still children and unmarried and their blessed sons, Hasan and Husain (RA) had not been born yet.

We Muslims, Ahl-us-Sunnah-wal-Jama’a consider the Shahada of Husain ibn Ali (RA) and all the members of the family of Rasoolullahﷺ to be the greatest tragedies in the history of Islam, where they were martyred, not by disbelievers but by those who claimed to believe in La ilaha illAllah, Muhammadur Rasoolullah. Yet this did not prevent them from murdering the family members of Rasoolullahﷺ who he loved more than anyone else. But we remember what Allahﷻ told us about those who die in His Path.

وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَن يُقْتَلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمْوَٰتٌۢ بَلْ أَحْيَآءٌ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَشْعُرُونَ

Baqara 2: 154   Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead—in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it.

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمْوَٰتًۢا بَلْ أَحْيَآءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

A’al Imraan 3: 169   Never think of those martyred in the cause of Allah as dead. In fact, they are alive with their Rabb, well provided for

We mourn the loss of those who Rasoolullahﷺ loved and whose presence was a Baraka for us all. But we don’t say that they are dead, because Allahﷻ declared that they are alive. We ask Allahﷻ for an ending like He gave them.

As for the Adaab (etiquette) of mourning, I remind myself and you that they are the same for everyone. We don’t do in joy or grief anything that is prohibited. Islam means to submit in all situations, to Allahﷻ’s Commands and the Sunnah of Rasoolullahﷺ. That is our guide, and it is the best guide.

Narrated Anas bin Malik (R): We went with Rasoolullah to the blacksmith Abu Saif, and he was the husband of the wet-nurse of Ibrahim (the son of Rasoolullah). Rasoolullah took Ibrahim and kissed him and smelled him and later we entered Abu Saif’s house and at that time Ibrahim was taking his last breaths, and the eyes of Rasoolullah started shedding tears. `Abdur Rahman bin `Auf (R) said, “Ya Rasoolullah  even you are weeping!” He said, “O Ibn `Auf, this is mercy.” Then he wept more and said, “The eyes are shedding tears, and the heart is grieved, but we will not say except what pleases our Rabb, O Ibrahim! Indeed, we are grieved by your separation.” (Bukhari)

I remind myself and you that the Shahada of Sayyidina Husain bin Ali (RA) was a tragedy that can’t be measured. But a greater tragedy is the cycle of hatred and bloodshed that people created which continues to this day. I can say with Allahﷻ as my witness, that there is not a single Sunni Muslim, man or woman, living or dead who would not give his life and sacrifice his parents and family to save the life of Sayyidina Husain bin Ali (RA), or any member of his family. So, what is the hatred about? Let it end here. Let us bring our hearts together on the Kalima Tayyiba and speak and do only that which will please Allahﷻ and Rasoolullahﷺ and be brothers to each other.