Is it from Sunnah to keep a lot of nafil fasts in the month of Muharram?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Muharaam is the first month of the Islamic Hijri calendar and it is amongst the four sacred months namely Zulqada, Zulhijja, Muharram and Rajab. Allah Taala mentions in the Quraan:

The number of months according to Allah is twelve months (mentioned) in the Book of Allah on the day in which He created the heavens and the earth. Among these (twelve months) there are four sanctified months. (Surah Tawba-36)

It is also mentioned in a hadith:

Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said a year has twelve months and from which four are sanctified months, three of them are in sequence namely Zulqada, Zulhijja, Muharram and Rajab which is between Jumadal Ukhra and Shaaban (Bukhari p454 Qadeemi)

It is mentioned in a hadith:

The best fast after the fast of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram (Muslim p368 Qadeemi)

Although the fasts of Muharram are not obligatory, yet, it is clear from the above hadith that the non-obligatory fast of Muharram are most rewardable amongst optional fasts.[1]

Besides the whole month of Muharram being blessed and sacred, the tenth of Muharram specially holds great significance and it is known as ‘Ashurah’. It is mentioned in a hadith:

Ibn Abbas Radiallahu Anhu narrates that when the prophet of Allah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam migrated to Madina the Jews of Madina would fast on the tenth of Muharram. They said it was the day when Allah Taala helped Musa Alaihi Salam cross the sea and drowned the Pharaoh. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said we are closer to Musa Alaihi Salam than you and he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam) ordered the people to fast on Ashurah. (Abu Dawood p331 Rashediyah)[2]

__________

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Ismail Dawoodjee

Student Darul Iftaa
Zambia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net

Islamic Months Merits and Precepts [2]