Venerating the Month of Allaah

“O’ people! Fear Allaah, the Most High, and venerate your month, i.e. Muharram, with the obedience of your Lord because Allaah has honored it and made it virtuous. The Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The BEST fast after Ramadhan is the month of Allaah, Muharram.”

[Muslim]

It is one of the four sacred months wherein acts of obedience and abandoning sins are highly emphasized. Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says:

مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ

“…of them four are sacred (Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qi’dah, Dhul-Hijjah). That is the right religion, so wrong yourselves not therein.”

[At-Tawbah 9:36]

On the authority of Abi Hurairah رضي اللّه عنـه said: “When the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم  arrived in Al-Medina he found that the Jews would fast the tenth of Muharram. So he صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said: “What is this?” They said: “This is a GREAT day. Allaah saved Moosaa عليه السلام and the Children of Israel in it and Moosaa would fast it (so this is why we fast it).”

The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“We have more right to Moosaa than you do.” So he fasted it and ordered the people to do the same.

[Bukhaari & Muslim]

And he صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“Fasting the tenth of Muharram expiates the (minor) sins of the previous year.”

[Muslim]

So fast the ninth and tenth of Muharram, may Allaah have mercy upon you all, so that your (minor) sins (of the last year) can be expiated and follow the guidance of your Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم. And whoever has difficulty fasting and Allaah knows that if it wasn’t for this reason he would fast, then let him rejoice with receiving the reward from The King, All-Knowing, especially if he regularly would fast these days, i.e. the ninth and tenth of Muharram each year.

Because the Messenger صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“Whoever becomes sick or travels will have the reward of that which he does while he is healthy and present."

[Bukhaari]

On the tenth of Muharram, Allaah saved Moosaa عليه السلام, and his people from Fir’aun and his army. Moosaa عليه السلام invited him to the worship of his Lord however he was arrogant and refused saying:

The most diseased form of Gheeba

Ibn Jawzi (رحمه الله) said,

“The most diseased form of backbiting is when people induce others to stay away from some people, while having others look towards them. They combine the acts of dispraising the one mentioned, earning praise for themselves. Due to their ignorance they are oblivious to the fact that they are falling into two sins: backbiting and showing-off. 

Who is 'TRULY' fortunate?

Sheikh-ul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) mentioned in his Majmū’:

“The (truly) fortunate one (is he who) seeks forgiveness for the mistakes, and is patient upon the calamities, just as Allāh says: {So be patient. Verily, the Promise of Allāh is true, and ask forgiveness for your fault}in [Sūrah Ghāfir 40:55].”

[Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā 8/454]

Between You & the One in the Grave

It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrī (رحمه الله) once said during the funeral of a man:

May Allāh have mercy on the man who works for the likes of this day; for today you are able to do what these brothers of yours, the residents of these graves, cannot do. So make full use of your health and free time before the day of distress and accounts comes upon you.

{Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Dhamm Al-Dunyāarticle 53}

Do you want Allaah to reciprocate your evil with gooness?

Ibnul-Qayyim رحمه الله تعالى said, 

“Whoever would love that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى reciprocates his evil with goodness, let him reciprocate the evil people do towards him with goodness.”

{Miftaah Daaris-Sa’aadah, vol.1, pg. 292}

SINS...

 

Sheikh ibn Uthaimeen رحمه الله تعالى said, 

“If you see that you have turned away from something from Allaah’s Religion or you see that you have turned away from the Book of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, either from reciting its [actual] words, or reciting it [by pondering over] its meaning, or reciting it by acting on it, then it is obligatory on you to cure yourself – and know that the cause of that turning away is SINS.”

{Tafsir Surah al-Maa’idah, vol. 1, pg. 483}