Virtues of Muharram and Acts of worship in it

Allah has chosen specific times, places and acts above others for bestowing rewards.
This denotes the mercy of Allah for His slaves, in order to exceed in their piety, boost
their eman and gain abundant rewards with just simple acts of worship.
These times are not superstitions nor denote any astrological events but are the
appointed terms by Allah. Muharram the first month of the Islamic calendar or hijri is
one amongst them.
There is mention of these months, and its sacredness explained in the Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬.

ََّ ‫تَّ ََّوٱ ۡۡل َ ۡر‬

َّٓ‫ضَّ ِم ۡن َها‬ َِّ ‫ّللَِّ َي ۡو َمَّ َخلَقَ َّٱلس َٰ َم َٰ َو‬
َّ ‫بَّٱ‬ ِ َ ‫عش ََرَّشَهۡ ٗراَّفِيَّ ِك َٰت‬ َ َّ‫ّللَِّٱ ۡثنَا‬ َّ ‫ورَّ ِعندََّٱ‬َِّ ‫ش ُه‬ ُّ ‫ِإنََّّ ِعدة ََّٱل‬
ََّ ‫َّو َٰقَتِلُواَّْٱ ۡل ُم ۡش ِر ِك‬
َّ‫ينَّ َكآف ٗةَّ َك َماَّيُ َٰقَتِلُونَ ُك ۡم‬ َ ‫م‬ٞۚۡ ‫س ُك‬ َُّ ‫مَّ َٰذَ ِل َكَّٱلد‬ٞۚ ‫أ َ ۡربَعَةٌَّ ُح ُر‬
َ ُ‫ َُّمَّفَ ََلَّت َ ۡظ ِل ُمواَّْفِي ِهنَّأَنف‬ٞۚ ِ‫ِينَّٱ ۡلقَي‬
ٞۚ
َّ َّ٣٦َّ‫ين‬ ََّ ‫ّللََّ َم َعَّٱ ۡل ُمت ِق‬ ََّ ‫َكآف ٗة‬
َّ ‫َّوٱ ۡعلَ ُم ٓوَّاَّْأَنَّٱ‬
36. Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah´s ordinance since
the day when He created the heavens and the earth, of these four being sacred; that is
the right reckoning; therefore be not unjust to yourselves regarding them, and fight the
polytheists all together as they fight you all together; and know that Allah is with those
who guard (against evil). Surah Taubah 9:36
Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “The division of time has turned to its original form which was
current the day Allaah created the heavens and earth. The year consists of twelve months of
which four are sacred: three consecutive months, Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram,
and Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumada and Sha’baan. Agreed upon al-
Bukhaari (3167) and Muslim (1679)

As explained in the hadeeth, the four months mentioned are

a. Muharram
b. Rajab
c. Dhill hajj
d. Dhill qaida

Ramadan is specifically sacred, but these are the months apart from Ramadan

Conditions for acceptability of acts of worship:

1. Sincerity in Intention
 The deeds should not become a ritual, a chore coerced by elders or a fame seeking ac
of worship. All of these intentions, even partially mixed with a sincere intention, will
have the deed rejected.

َّ،‫َّر ُج ٌلَّ ِإلَىَّالن ِبيَِّصلىَّهللاَّعليهَّوسلمَّفَقَالََّالر ُجلَُّيُقَاتِلَُّ ِل ْل َم ْغن َِم‬ َ ‫سىَّـَّرضىَّهللاَّعنهَّـَّقَالََّ َجا َء‬ َ ‫ع ْنَّأ َ ِبيَّ ُمو‬
َ
َّ‫ي‬ َِّ ُ‫ََّّللاَّقَالََّ "َّ َم ْنَّقَاتَلََّ ِلت َ ُكونَ َّ َك ِل َمة‬
َ ‫ََّّللاَّ ِه‬ ِ ‫س ِبي ِل‬ َ ‫َوالر ُجلَُّيُقَا ِتلَُّ ِل ِلذ ْك ِر‬
َ َّ‫َّفَ َم ْنَّ ِفي‬،ُ‫َّوالر ُجلَُّيُقَا ِتلَُّ ِلي َُرىَّ َم َكانُه‬،
."َّ‫ََّّللا‬
ِ ‫س ِبي ِل‬ َ َّ‫ْالعُ ْليَاَّفَ ُه َوَّ ِفي‬
Narrated Abu Musa:
A man came to the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬and asked, "A man fights for war booty; another fights for fame and a
third fights for showing off; which of them fights in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, "He who
fights that Allah's Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause." Sahih al-Bukhari 2810

َّ" َّ‫ل‬َُّ ‫سولَََّّللاَِّصلىَّهللاَّعليهَّوسلمَّيَقُو‬

ُ ‫َّر‬ ْ َ‫عل‬
َ ََّ‫ىَّال ِم ْنبَ ِرَّقَال‬
َ ُ‫س ِم ْعت‬ َ َّ‫بَّـَّرضىَّهللاَّعنهَّـ‬ ْ َ‫ع َم َرَّبْن‬
ِ ‫َّالخَطا‬ ُ َّ ُ‫س ِم ْعت‬
َ
َِّ ‫َِّإن َماَّاۡل َ ْع َمالَُّبِالنِيا‬
‫ت‬
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Allah's Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the
intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 1]

2. Accordance to the Sunnah of Prophet ‫ﷺ‬

The acts done without them being in accordance to the sunnah of the messenger of
Allah will have no validity and will not be accepted
Both these two conditions should be met for an act to be accepted by Allah.
Worship in Muharram
The Shariah (comprising of quran and Sunnah) has not only specified these months as
sacred but also mentioned details of acts of worship to be done in them. Hence the
sacredness of these months cannot be understood in our own way and perception. We
do not take this sacredness to start a business or get married or other such things
expecting fortune or barkah in them, since no such authentic texts mention it nor does
the sacredness mean so.
1. Abstaining from sins in this month
The gravity of sins in this month measures to more than other months. One should take
this month as a means to avoid haram and adhere to his obligatory duties. Obligatory
duties include salah and the other pillars and rights towards the other slaves of Allah.
2. Fasting as much as possible
 ‫صالَ ِة‬
‫ض ُل ال ه‬ َ ‫َّللا ْال َُم ََح هر ُم َوأَ ْف‬
ِ ‫َش ْْه ُر ه‬
َ َ‫ضان‬
َ ‫َش ْْه ِر َر ََم‬ َ ‫َّللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم " أ َ ْف‬
ِ ‫ض ُل‬
َ ‫الص َي ِام َب ْْع ََد‬ ُ ‫ قَا َل قَا َل َر‬،َ ‫َع ْن أ َ ِبي ه َُري َْرة‬
ِ ‫سو ُل ه‬
‫ه‬
" ‫صالَة ُ الل ْي ِل‬َ ‫ض ِة‬ ْ
َ ‫بَ ْْع ََد الفَ ِري‬.

Abu Hurairah narrated that:

Allah's Messenger (S) said: "The most virtuous fasting after the month of Ramadan is
that of Allah's month of Al-Muharram. And the most virtuous Salat after the obligatory is
the night prayer." Jami` at-Tirmidhi 438, Sahih (Darussalam)

3. Fasting on the 9th and the 10th of Muharram

The sunnah explains that the fast of 9th Muharram is recommended accompanied
with the day of Ashoora as stated in the hadeeth
Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora and
told the people to fast, they said, “O Messenger of Allaah, this is a day that is venerated
by the Jews and Christians.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, “Next year, if Allaah wills, we will fast on the ninth day.” But by the
time the following year came, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) had passed away. Sahih Muslim, 1916.
Imam Nawawi states the benefits and wisdom of fasting on the 9th as well- Being
different from the Jews: fasting two days 9th and 10th is unique to Islam, distinguishing it
from the Jewish commemoration of fasting the 10th only. Moreover, we are fasting the
10th of Muharram not because Jews fast on it . However, the wisdom is the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬
taught us that e are closer (in implementation and honoring) Moosa alaihi salam than
the Jews.
Innovations in Muharram
1. Mourning the death of Husayn (radhiAllahuanhu) on the 10th
The most damaging and sinister innovation would be mourning the death of Husayn
(radhiAllahuanhu) in this month in the tragic incident of Karbala. The mourning is done
by the deviant sects of Islam, by reprehensible means like slashing their bodies with
blades, slapping their faces and cheeks and striking themselves with chains.

َّ‫َّوشَق‬،َ َ‫َّال ُخدُود‬ ْ ‫ب‬

َ ‫ض َر‬ َ َّ‫َّمناَّ َم ْن‬ َ ‫ع ِنَّالن ِبيَِّصلىَّهللاَّعليهَّوسلمَّقَالََّ "َّلَي‬
ِ ‫ْس‬ َ َّ‫ََِّّللاَّـَّرضىَّهللاَّعنهَّـ‬
ِ ‫ع ْبد‬ َ َّ‫ع ْن‬
َ
ْ
."َّ‫عاَّبِدَع َْوىَّال َجا ِه ِلي ِة‬
َ َ‫َّود‬،
َ ‫ُوب‬ َ ‫ال ُجي‬ْ
Narrated `Abdullah:
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, "He who slaps the cheeks, tears the clothes and follows the
tradition of the Days of Ignorance is not from us." 1 Sahih al-Bukhari 1297
2

2. Celebration and feasting on the 10th

Explaining the innovations during this month, Sheikh Ul Islam Ibn Taymiyya said:
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyya may Allah have mercy upon him was asked about the
authenticity of things that people do on 'Ashoora' to seek reward, such as wearing kohl,
taking a bath, wearing henna, shaking hands with one another, cooking grains (huboob)
and so on. Some other people mark this day by grieving and mourning, not drinking,
wailing and rending their garments.
His reply was: "Nothing to that effect has been reported in any sound Hadeeth from the
Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) or his
Companions. None of the Imaams encouraged such things, neither the four Imaams,
nor any others. No reliable scholars have narrated anything like this, neither from the
Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) nor from his
Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, nor from the Taabi'een; neither in any
authentic report or in a weak report; neither in the books of Saheeh, nor in as-Sunan,
nor in the Musnads.3
Misconceptions of Ashoora
1. Misconception No 1#: the day of Ashoora should be lamented and mourned for
the death of Husayn
Refutation: the Quran, sunnah and the practice of companions do not affirm to this
practice instead sunnah stand clearly against it
There were more illustrious and righties companions who passed away before Husayn
and none mourned their death.
There is no benefit in mourning by slapping, striking and mutilating oneself, instead that
same health, time and effort should be put to defend Islam, in seeking knowledge on
the sha’riah, strengthening one’s knowledge through implementation by adhering to the
Sunnah.
The outreach of such ignorant practices undermines the pristine purity of Islam,
damaging its image in the eyes of the enemy and confusing the Non-Muslims on the
practice of true Islam.

1
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/23/56
2
https://islamqa.info/en/101268
3
Minhaaj al-Sunnah (4/554). Cited in <https://www.islamweb.net/en/article/155744/the-significance-of-the-
month-of-muharram>
Ignorant and barbaric practices like these become a tool of exploitation of the west and
orientalists , these are specific to the deviant ideologies, originating centuries after the
death of the Prophet 4‫ﷺ‬
2. Misconception No.2# :Ashoora was the day of birth of Ibrahim, creation of
Adam, and the day of qiyamah
This are myths in the minds of the ignorant and have no basis in authentic texts.
3. Misconceptions No. 3# : Muharram is a month of misfortune for the death of
Husayn
Islam is not built on personalities, nor on the veneration of the dead however great they
may be. Islam is built on worship of only one ilah without associating partners with him,
by obeying the commands of the revelation and prophetic guidance.
Believing a month to be unfortunate is like believing in omens which is element of shirk.
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, said, "Paying attention to the bad omen (tayyara) is association (shirk). It has
nothing to do with us. Allah will remove it by reliance on Him." Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 909
Sahih (Al-Albani)

4
https://www.islamweb.net/en/article/155753/the-sacred-month-of-muharram