“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:
