Sacred timesA sacred time

The day of 'Ashura

يوم عاشوراء

Fasting the 10th of Muharram is hoped to expiate the year before; fasting the 9th with it is Sunnah.

Sahih
When
Muharram, days 9–10

What it holds

Abu Qatada reports in Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ said he hoped from Allah that fasting the day of 'Ashura would expiate the year before it. Ibn 'Abbas reports, also in Muslim, that he resolved to fast the ninth as well if he lived to the next year.

islamweb's fatwa says that after Ramadan was made obligatory, 'Ashura became recommended, as Ibn 'Abd al-Barr reports by consensus, and that it is Sunnah to fast the 9th or the 11th with it. Its fatwa on the recommended fasts lists it the same way.

Evidence

Sahih

Sahih Muslim 1162a

Grades
GraderVerdict
MuslimSahih (included by Muslim in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ حَمَّادٍ، - قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، - عَنْ غَيْلاَنَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ الزِّمَّانِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، رَجُلٌ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَصُومُ فَغَضِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا رَأَى عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - غَضَبَهُ قَالَ رَضِينَا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ وَغَضَبِ رَسُولِهِ ‏.‏ فَجَعَلَ عُمَرُ - رضى الله عنه - يُرَدِّدُ هَذَا الْكَلاَمَ حَتَّى سَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ كُلَّهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ صَامَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَ - أَوْ قَالَ - لَمْ يَصُمْ وَلَمْ يُفْطِرْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمَيْنِ وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ ‏"‏ وَيُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا قَالَ ‏"‏ ذَاكَ صَوْمُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ كَيْفَ مَنْ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمَيْنِ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي طُوِّقْتُ ذَلِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ ثَلاَثٌ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ فَهَذَا صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Qatada reported that a person came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said:How do you fast? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt annoyed. When 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) noticed his annoyance, he said: We are well pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our code of life, and with Muhammad as our Prophet. We seek refuge with Allah from the anger of Allah and that of His Messenger. 'Umar kept on repeating these words till his (the Prophet's) anger calmed down. Then Umar said: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who fasts perpetually? He (ﷺ) said: He neither fasted nor broke it, or he said: He did not fast and he did not break it. 'Umar said: What about him who fasts for two days and does not fast one day? He (ﷺ) said: Is anyone capable of doing that? He ('Umar) said: What is the position of him who fasts for a day and doesn't fast on the other day? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: That is the fast of David (peace be upon him). He ('Umar) said: What about him who fasts one day and doesn't fast for two days. Thereupon he (the Messenger of Allah) said: I wish I were given the strength to do that. Thereafter he (ﷺ) said: Fasting three days every month and that of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fasting. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of 'Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura may atone for the sins of the preceding year

View on sunnah.com
Sahih

Sahih Muslim 1134b

Grades
GraderVerdict
MuslimSahih (included by Muslim in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، - لَعَلَّهُ قَالَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، - رضى الله عنهما - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لَئِنْ بَقِيتُ إِلَى قَابِلٍ لأَصُومَنَّ التَّاسِعَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ يَعْنِي يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ ‏.‏

Abdullah b 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said:If I live till the next (year), I would definitely observe fast on the 9th, and the narration transmitted by Abu Bakr is:" He meant the day of Ashura

View on sunnah.com
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