What is the benefit of fasting the day of Ashura?
2 min read
The tenth day of Muharram is Ashura. Ashura is a day of fasting for Muslims to express gratitude to God for saving Moses and his followers by parting the Red Sea. According to Islam, the Prophet Muhammad(ﷺ) declared Muharram to be the “holy month of Allah.”
In a Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, the Prophet s.a.w said:
أَفْضَلُ الصِّيامِ، بَعْدَ رَمَضانَ، شَهْرُ اللهِ المُحَرَّمُ
“The best of fasts after the month of Ramadan is in the Month of Allah, which you call Muharram”
(Sahih Muslim)
The day of Ashura is the 10th of Muharram. One of the greatest merits of fasting on the day of Ashura is that Allah s.w.t will expiate the sins from the previous year!
In a Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, our beloved Prophet s.a.w made Dua to Allah to forgive the sins, committed in the previous year, for all the people who fast on the day of Ashura.
صِيامُ يومِ عاشُوراءَ، إِنِّي أحْتَسِبُ على اللهِ أنْ يُكَفِّرَ السنَةَ التِي قَبْلَهُ
“Fasting on the Day of Ashura, I hope will expiate the sins of the previous year.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Ibn Abbas r.a reported that Rasulullah s.a.w prioritised the fast on the day of Ashura over other days, besides the days in Ramadan, he said:
ما رَأَيْتُ النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ يَتَحَرَّى صِيَامَ يَومٍ فَضَّلَهُ علَى غيرِهِ إلَّا هذا اليَومَ؛ يَومَ عَاشُورَاءَ، وهذا الشَّهْرَ. يَعْنِي شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ
“I have never seen Rasulullah s.a.w so eager to fast like he is for Ashura and prioritising it, besides Ramadan.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
However, it is important to note that fasting on the day of Ashura is a voluntary act (sunnah) and not an obligation (wajib), as the Prophet s.a.w mentioned:
مَنْ شَاءَ صَامَهُ، وَمَنْ شَاءَ لَمْ يَصُمْهُ
“Fast if you wish and those who do not, are not obliged to do so.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
The fast of Ashura falls on the 10th day of Muharram. However, it is also encouraged for Muslims to fast a day before and after Ashura, i.e. 9th and 11th Muharram as well.
The Prophet s.a.w said in a hadith:
صُومُوا قَبْلَهُ يَوْمًا، أَوْ بَعْدَهُ يَوْمًا
“Fast on the day before and the day after Ashura.”
(Musnad Ahmad)
