Although Muharram is a sanctified month as a whole, yet, the 10th day of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days. The day is named ‘Ashurah’. According to Ibn’ Abbas(RA) the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), when migrated to Madinah, found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Holy Prophet Musa (Moses), alay his salam, and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously and the Pharaoh was drowned in its waters. On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “We are more closely rotated to Musa, alayhi salam, than you,” and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of ‘Ashura’. (Abu Dawood).It is also reported in a number of authentic traditions that in the beginning, fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ was obligatory for the Muslims. It was later that the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory and the fast on the day of ‘Ashura’ was made optional. Hazrat Sayyidina ‘Aisha(RA) has said “When Prophet Muhammad (SAW) came to Madinah, he fasted on the day of ‘Ashura’ and directed the people to fast. But when the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory, the obligation of fasting was confined to Ramadan and the obligatory nature of the fast of ‘Ashura’ was abandoned. Whoever so desires should fast on it and any other who so likes can avoid fasting on it.” (Sunan Abu Dawud).
Fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory and the fast on the day of ‘Ashura’ was made optional. Hazrat Sayyidina ‘Aisha(RA) has said “When Prophet Muhammad (SAW) came to Madinah, he fasted on the day of ‘Ashura’ and directed the people to fast.
However, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to fast on the day of ‘Ashura’ even after the fasting in Ramadan was made obligatory. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Musa (RA) has reported that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) preferred the fast of ‘Ashura’ on the fasts of other days and preferred the fasts of Ramadhaan on the fast of ‘Ashura’. (Bukhari and Muslim).In short, it is established through a number of authentic ahadith that fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ is Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and makes one entitled to a great reward. According to another Hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of ‘Ashura’ should either be preceded or followed by another fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram or the 10th and 11th. The reason of this additional fast as mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is that the Jews used to fast on the day of’Ashura alone, and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) wanted to distinguish the Muslim way of fasting from that of Jews. Therefore, he advised the Muslims to add another fast to that of ‘Ashura’.
