mahussain3
Son of Aa'ishah(R.A)
Ashura - A Muslim and Shia Perspective
10th of Muharram (the day of Ashura) is observed as an important day by both Muslims and Shia – however, for different reasons.
Most scholars believe that Ahsura is named as such because of “tenth” of Muharram (ten is translated as “Ashara” in the Arabic language)
Muslims look at Ashura as “good” while Shia believe that day to be a day of mourning and sorrow.
Muslims
Based on the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam), Muslims celebrate Ashura as the day when Prophet Moses (alayhi salam) fasted on that day because Allah saved the Israelites from their enemy in Egypt. One of the many Ahadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) that attests to that is in Bukhari that states:
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1865) from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: The Prophet (sal allah alayhi wasalam) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashoora. He said, “What is this?” They said, “This is a good day, this is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Moosa fasted on this day.” He (the Prophet Muhammad) said, “We are closer to Moosa than you.”
So he (the Prophet Muhammad) fasted on this day and told the people to fast.
There are many other versions of this Hadith in the books of “Muslim” and “Bukhari”.
According to a version narrated by Muslim,
This is a great day when Allah saved Moosa (Moses) and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people.”
Muslims celebrate Ashura by fasting on that day and are recommended to fast on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
It is permissible to fast the day of Ashoora on its own, but it is better to fast the day before it or the day after it. This is the Sunnah that is proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as he said, “If I am still alive next year, I will certainly fast the ninth.” Narrated by Muslim, 1134. [Source: Islam-QA.com (question 21776)]
Other Ahadith on the subject are the following:
The prophet observed the fast on Ashuraa (the 10th of Muharram), and ordered (Muslims) to fast on that day. (Agreed upon Hadith i.e. Bukhari & Muslim).
Narrated by Abu Qatada: The prophet (sal allah alayhi wasalam) was asked about fasting on ‘Ashuraa’ (the 10th of Muharram), he said: “it expiates the previous year (for sins).” (Sahih Muslim)
It was proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that the best fasting after Ramadaan is fasting in the month of Muharram. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best fasting after Ramadaan is the month of Allaah Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” Narrated by Muslim, 1163.
Shia
Shia observe Ashura as the day of martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala. Shia therefore consider this a day of sorrow and observe it as such by refraining from music, listening to sorrowful poetic recitations, wearing mourning attire, and refraining from all joyous events (e.g. weddings) that in anyway distract them from the sorrowful remembrance of that day.
Some Shia sects carry the observance to further extremes by beating themselves with chains in public, cutting themselves with knives and sharp objects and holding mournful public processions.
Muslims believe such Shia practices (beating, etc.) of the day of Muharram (Ashura) as innovations. Their basis is that during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a number of senior Sahabah (Prophet’s companions) were martyred and he mourned their loss, such as Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Zayd ibn Haarithah, Jafar ibn Abi Taalib and Abd-Allah ibn Rawaahah, but he never practiced any such acts. [References: Islam-QA.com]
The Facts
We have a clear record of the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] fasting on the 10th of Muharram. This is a sunnah of the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] recorded in Ahadith. In addition we also have recorded in Ahadith that the Prophet desired/recommended the fasting on the 9th. In addition the Prophet stated that fasting on the 10th expiates the sins for the last year. There is no record of the Prophet inflicting bodily harm upon himself. There is no record of the Prophet mourning the anniversary of anyone’s death. The Prophet prohibited the veneration of anyone after their death as the Christians did. We know it is a fact that Christians in every church service celebrate the “death” of Jesus (Isaa’) [alyhi salam] as part of their worship. Such practices were never practiced by the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam], or even by Ali, [radi allah anhu] for any of the Sahabah or even Ahlil Bayt (the Prophet’s family members). In addition to this we know that the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] did not reveal any benefit (such as the expiation for sins) with celebrating the annual return of the death of any individual. We also know that by fasting on this day, we are honoring not one but two Prophets (Muhammad who practiced it and Musa who is associated with the original event that the day remembers).
Any Muslim, regardless of their personal beliefs, when presented with the evidence must reach the following conclusions: Regardless of when Ali [radi allah anhu] was killed, the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] had already given instructions as to how to act on the 10th of Muharram. The death of no human can change those instructions (not even Ali). The expiation of sins was given by the Prophet for the observance of fasting on that day in honor of another prophet (Musa). There was no benefit given for the repeated mourning of any Prophet, or Sahabah and in fact the opposite was true the annual recurrence is never celebrated for fear of it becoming Shirk). AND THIS IS ANOTHER UGLY EXAMPLE OF BID3AH!
The 9th and 10th of Muharam fall on the 15th and 16th December 2010. May Allah accept our fasting and please don't forget to pray for our imprisoned brothers and sisters who are at the hands of the kuffar.
10th of Muharram (the day of Ashura) is observed as an important day by both Muslims and Shia – however, for different reasons.
Most scholars believe that Ahsura is named as such because of “tenth” of Muharram (ten is translated as “Ashara” in the Arabic language)
Muslims look at Ashura as “good” while Shia believe that day to be a day of mourning and sorrow.
Muslims
Based on the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam), Muslims celebrate Ashura as the day when Prophet Moses (alayhi salam) fasted on that day because Allah saved the Israelites from their enemy in Egypt. One of the many Ahadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) that attests to that is in Bukhari that states:
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1865) from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: The Prophet (sal allah alayhi wasalam) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashoora. He said, “What is this?” They said, “This is a good day, this is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Moosa fasted on this day.” He (the Prophet Muhammad) said, “We are closer to Moosa than you.”
So he (the Prophet Muhammad) fasted on this day and told the people to fast.
There are many other versions of this Hadith in the books of “Muslim” and “Bukhari”.
According to a version narrated by Muslim,
This is a great day when Allah saved Moosa (Moses) and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people.”
Muslims celebrate Ashura by fasting on that day and are recommended to fast on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
It is permissible to fast the day of Ashoora on its own, but it is better to fast the day before it or the day after it. This is the Sunnah that is proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as he said, “If I am still alive next year, I will certainly fast the ninth.” Narrated by Muslim, 1134. [Source: Islam-QA.com (question 21776)]
Other Ahadith on the subject are the following:
The prophet observed the fast on Ashuraa (the 10th of Muharram), and ordered (Muslims) to fast on that day. (Agreed upon Hadith i.e. Bukhari & Muslim).
Narrated by Abu Qatada: The prophet (sal allah alayhi wasalam) was asked about fasting on ‘Ashuraa’ (the 10th of Muharram), he said: “it expiates the previous year (for sins).” (Sahih Muslim)
It was proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that the best fasting after Ramadaan is fasting in the month of Muharram. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best fasting after Ramadaan is the month of Allaah Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” Narrated by Muslim, 1163.
Shia
Shia observe Ashura as the day of martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala. Shia therefore consider this a day of sorrow and observe it as such by refraining from music, listening to sorrowful poetic recitations, wearing mourning attire, and refraining from all joyous events (e.g. weddings) that in anyway distract them from the sorrowful remembrance of that day.
Some Shia sects carry the observance to further extremes by beating themselves with chains in public, cutting themselves with knives and sharp objects and holding mournful public processions.
Muslims believe such Shia practices (beating, etc.) of the day of Muharram (Ashura) as innovations. Their basis is that during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a number of senior Sahabah (Prophet’s companions) were martyred and he mourned their loss, such as Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Zayd ibn Haarithah, Jafar ibn Abi Taalib and Abd-Allah ibn Rawaahah, but he never practiced any such acts. [References: Islam-QA.com]
The Facts
We have a clear record of the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] fasting on the 10th of Muharram. This is a sunnah of the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] recorded in Ahadith. In addition we also have recorded in Ahadith that the Prophet desired/recommended the fasting on the 9th. In addition the Prophet stated that fasting on the 10th expiates the sins for the last year. There is no record of the Prophet inflicting bodily harm upon himself. There is no record of the Prophet mourning the anniversary of anyone’s death. The Prophet prohibited the veneration of anyone after their death as the Christians did. We know it is a fact that Christians in every church service celebrate the “death” of Jesus (Isaa’) [alyhi salam] as part of their worship. Such practices were never practiced by the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam], or even by Ali, [radi allah anhu] for any of the Sahabah or even Ahlil Bayt (the Prophet’s family members). In addition to this we know that the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] did not reveal any benefit (such as the expiation for sins) with celebrating the annual return of the death of any individual. We also know that by fasting on this day, we are honoring not one but two Prophets (Muhammad who practiced it and Musa who is associated with the original event that the day remembers).
Any Muslim, regardless of their personal beliefs, when presented with the evidence must reach the following conclusions: Regardless of when Ali [radi allah anhu] was killed, the Prophet [sal allah alayhi wasalam] had already given instructions as to how to act on the 10th of Muharram. The death of no human can change those instructions (not even Ali). The expiation of sins was given by the Prophet for the observance of fasting on that day in honor of another prophet (Musa). There was no benefit given for the repeated mourning of any Prophet, or Sahabah and in fact the opposite was true the annual recurrence is never celebrated for fear of it becoming Shirk). AND THIS IS ANOTHER UGLY EXAMPLE OF BID3AH!
The 9th and 10th of Muharam fall on the 15th and 16th December 2010. May Allah accept our fasting and please don't forget to pray for our imprisoned brothers and sisters who are at the hands of the kuffar.