The history of Moharram and Ashura
Wednesday, January 24th, 2007
Moharram is the starting month of Hijri Calendar which is not important for Muslims only due to death of Hazrat Hussain[RA] and Caliph Umar[RA] but it has a long history and equally important for Jews and Christians.
The general perception for the month of Muharram is battle of Karbala which is entirely wrong because Allah already gave importance to this month when He said in Quran:
The number of the months with Allah is twelve months by Allah’s ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves in them (Quran 9:36)
IMO, this verse discusses few things that is, number of months by Allah is twelve that is a year consist of 12 months. Then Allah reveals that He created this universe and heaven in one of four sacred months of His calendar and if you closely look this section of verse in which Allah says Allah’s ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth then it does indicate the month when Allah created this Universe was none other than Moharram.
Things doesn’t end here, this is just the beginning. As I mentioned above that Moharram is one of the four sacred months, the other three sacred months are Dhu’l-Qi’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Rajab. What does sacred means here? Allah also explained this in (9:36) by ordering So wrong not yourselves in them. If we go in further explanation then in these months, Allah orders Muslims to not to engage in any kind of war and we get this message in same Surah Tauba in following verses:
Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom ye made a treaty. (Quran 9:1)
Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers (in His Guidance). (Quran 9:2)
Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful (Quran 9:5)
Since I have quoted Verse no 5 of Surah Tauba, I would like to tell that same verse is used by non-Muslims to declare Islam a violent religion and they say that Islam gives free hand to kill any non-believer. Ignorant believe in that but those who make a little effort to read the things from the beginning then he can clearly understand that it’s being discussed about a battle field where opponents are attacked. This was revealed after Peace treaty between Muslims and Pagans of Makkah which is called Hudebiya Treaty.
Back to the topic, so above mentioned verses clearly send message to followers to not get engaged any kind of military operation but it doesn’t mean they are disallowed for defense as well.
The other question arises that who decided that Moharram and other three months are sacred while they are not even mentioned in Quran, well, the Prophet [SAW] knew that Ummah would question in future therefore He [saw] removed this confusion by saying:
Narrated by Abu Bakar[RA];
Verily time has completed its cycle and returned to its original stage as it was on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year consists of twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three of them occur consecutively; Zil Qa’dah, Zil Hijjah and Muharram, (the fourth being) Rajab of Mudhar (named after the tribe of Mudhar as they used to respect this month) which occurs between Jamadiul Aakhir and Sha’baan.
(Bukhari Vol.2 Page 622)
This month was also very important for Pagans of Makkah and they used to avoid fighting in this sacred month but they were so cunning that they used to change the order of months according to their will. Allah disliked it and said:
Postponement (of a sacred month) is only an excess of disbelief whereby those who disbelieve are misled; they allow it one year and forbid it (another) year, that they may make up the number of the months which Allah hath hallowed, so that they allow that which Allah hath forbidden. The evil of their deeds is made fairseeming unto them. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.(Quran 9:37)
From (http://www.jamiat.co.za/special/muharram/month_of_muharram.htm)
The disbelievers of pagan Arabia used to postpone and prepone the sacred months for ulterior motives. For example, when they wanted to fight during the month of Muharram, they would declare Muharram to be Safar, telling people, that for that year Muharram will follow Safar rather than come before it. In this manner, they would alter the sequence of the sacred months. It was since the period of Hadhrat Ibraheem Alayhis-Salâm that waging war was forbidden in these four months.
Although the pagan Arabs revered these months, they altered their sequence merely to fulfil their whims to fight. As a result of this constant alteration, no one could determine with certainty which month they were in. However, it was on the 10th year after Hijrah that Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam made the above announcement, declaring that the months had returned to the sequence that Allâh Ta’âla ordained when He created the universe. During the year before this declaration, Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam sent Hadhrat Abu Bakr Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu as the Ameer of Hajj. Although the month in which Hadhrat Abu Bakr Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu led the Hajj was accepted as Dhul Hijjah, it was actually Dhul Qa’da because of the calendar alterations during the period of ignorance. Nevertheless, when Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam performed Hajj during the 10th year after Hijrah, the month that everyone regarded as Dhul Hijjah was really Dhul Hijjah. It was perhaps for this reason that Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam postponed his Hajj for this year. It was on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah on the plains of Mina that Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam made the above declaration.
The day of Ashura and concept of Fasting
Ashura is the day when the Prophet [SAW] ordered His Ummah to fast on this particular day but before I give references to make my point about the importance of this particular day for Muslims, let me tell you that the Jews also used to fast on this particular day because this was the day when Moses [AS] defeated Pharaoh and his people who were drowned by Allah in the river. According to following Hadiths:
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
The Prophet came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked them about that. They replied, “This is a good day, the day on which Allah rescued Bani Israel from their enemy. So, Moses fasted this day.” The Prophet said, “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, the Prophet fasted on that day and ordered (the Muslims) to fast (on that day). (Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 222 )
Narrated Abu Musa:
The day of ‘Ashura’ was considered as ‘Id day by the Jews. So the Prophet ordered, “I recommend you (Muslims) to fast on this day.” (Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 223)
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
I never saw the Prophet seeking to fast on a day more (preferable to him) than this day, the day of ‘Ashura’, or this month, i.e. the month of Ramadan.(Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 224)
Narrated Salama bin Al-Akwa:
The Prophet ordered a man from the tribe of Bani Aslam to announce amongst the people that whoever had eaten should fast the rest of the day, and whoever had not eaten should continue his fast, as that day was the day of ‘Ashura’(Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 225 )
Read the last hadith , it shows the worth of this month in front of Prophet of Allah [SAW] that even if someone already has broken fast early in the morning then he should refrain taking anything for the rest of the day.
The second last Hadith shows that fast of Ashoora was very important and its status was equivalent to Ramadan before fast in month of Ramadan were made compulsory. According to following Hadith:
Narrated by Ayesha[RA], the Holy Prophet [SAW] ordered the observance of the fast of Aashooraa. However, when the fast of Ramadhaan became compulsory, then whosoever wished, kept this fast and whosoever desired did not observe this fast.
(Bukhari Vol.1 Page 268)
So this Hadith removes the confusion that fast of Moharram is not compulsory anymore but it’s still important and worthy for the person who keeps fast in this particular day.
Now the question is why should we fast on this particular day? What is the advantage of us beside its historical significance? The Prophet [SAW] answered this question as well.
“It expiates the sins of the preceding year.” [Muslim]
Fasting is helping me to get rid of all sins of previous year and become a zero-meter person. This is all I want!
Our Prophet[saw] used to fast on day of Ashura and since Jews also fast on same day, the prophet[saw] ordered to fast on 9th of Moharram as well so that it can make a difference between Jewish and Muslims prayers.
Narrated by Ibn-e-Abbas[RA]
When Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam observed the fast of the day of Aashooraa and ordered (his Companions) to fast, they said, “O Rasulullah! It is a day revered by the Jews and Christians.” Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, “The coming year, if Allah wills, we will fast on the ninth (also)“.
(Muslim Vol.1 Page 359)
For those who give lame remarks to mingle Islam with Jewish and Christian belief in the name of similar background and other stuff should notice after reading the Hadith that How cautious our Prophet[saw] was to not giving any influence of previous religions on Islam.
The other reasons for the importance of Ashura
Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani[RA] has provided an interesting commentary about the day of Ashura, Shaikh says:
Ashura is a day of great historical significance. On this day: Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) accepted the repentance of Sayyidina Adam (’Alaihis-Salaam) after his exile from Paradise; Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) saved Sayyidina Nuh (’Alaihis-Salaam) and his companions in the ark; Allah extinguished the fire in which Sayyidina Ibrahim (’Alaihis-Salaam) was thrown by Nimrod; And Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) spoke directly to Sayyidina Musa (’Alaihis-Salaam) and gave him the Commandments. On this same 10th of Muharram, Sayyidina Ayyub (’Alaihis-Salaam) was restored to health (from leprosy); Sayyidina Yusuf (’Alaihis-Salaam) was reunited with his father Ya’qub (’Alaihis-Salaam); Sayyidina Yunus (’Alaihis-Salaam) was taken out from the belly of the fish; and the sea was divided as the nation of israel was delivered from captivity and Pharoah’s army was destroyed. ‘Ashura is also the day when Sayyidina Dawud (’Alaihis-Salaam) was forgiven; the kingdom of Sulaiman (’Alaihis-Salaam) was restored; Sayyidina Isa (’Alaihis-Salaam) was raised to Jannah and Sayyidina al-Husayn (Radiyallahu ‘anh) (the Holy Prophet’s, Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, grandson) achieved the honor of Martyrdom (From Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq)
I have also read that the day of Qaymah will also be the day of Ashura. Allah knows the best. The above mentioned hadiths and Quranic verses are enough to encourage us to keep fast for two days either 9 and 10 or 10 or 11 but NOT 10 only.May Allah help you and me to follow religion in its true form-Ameen.
Tagged:Islam,Hijri,Ashura,Muharram
