The Ruling regarding observing Fasting in Allah’s month Al-Muharram –
Shaykh Muhammad Ali Ferkous
The question:
Is it permissible to
observe fast during the whole month of Muharram?
The answer:
All praise is due to
Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a
mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the
Day of Resurrection.
Before answering your
question, I want to draw attention to a spread mistake which consists in
designating the term “Muharram” without the letters Alif and Lâm (Al-)(1).
The correct form is to say “Al-Muharram” as it is mentioned in many prophetic
hadiths, and because the Arabs did not mention this month in their speeches and
poetry but with the definite article “Al”, which is not the case with the other
months. So, this denomination is unwritten and not according to a rule.
Hereupon, one can fast
during the month Al-Muharram, that is why it is recommended to observe much of
fasting in it, in accordance with the Prophet’s صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم saying:
“The most superior fasting
after (the fasting of) Ramadan is that of Allah’s month of Al-Muharram and the
most superior prayer after the obligatory (prayers) is the Night Prayer”(2).
Fasting `Âshurâ’ which
is the tenth of the month of Al-Muharram is more recommended, in accordance
with the Prophet’s صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم saying: “This is the day of
`Âshurâ’ (tenth of Al-Muharram). Allah has not enjoined its fasting on you but
I am fasting it. You have the choice either to fast or not”(3).
Moreover, fasting
`Âshurâ’ expiates the precedent year, in accordance with the Prophet’s صلَّى
الله عليه وسلَّمsaying: “…Moreover, I expect from Allah that the
fasting of the day of `Âshurâ’ will expiate (the sins of) the preceding year”(4). It is also recommended to fast the day preceding
`Ashura’ which is the ninth day of the month Al-Muharram as it is mentioned in
the hadith of Ibn `Abbâs رضي الله عنهما who said: “When the Messenger of Allah
observed fast on the day of `Ashura, and ordered Muslims to fast on it, they
said to him: “O Messenger of Allah! This is a day which both the Jews and the
Christians venerate. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah said,“When it is the
next year, Allah willing, we would observe fast on the ninth day (of
Al-Muharram besides that day)”. But, it was not until the next year that
the Messenger of Allah صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم had died”(5),
and in another narration: “If I survive to the coming year, I would
surely observe fast on the ninth (day of Al-Muharram)”(6).
Furthermore, it is
recommended to fast a day after `Âshurâ’, that is to say, the eleventh day of
the month of Al-Muharram, as it is narrated in an authentic andMauqûf(7) text according to Ibn `Abbâsرضي الله
عنهما: “Fast the day of `Âshurâ’, be different from Jews, fast one day before
it or one day after it”(8).
Al-Hâfidh (Ibn Hajar) رحمه الله said, “…Fasting `Âshurâ’ comes under three
categories, the lowest is to fast it alone, better than it, is to fast the
ninth day with it, and the best is to fast the ninth and the eleventh days with
it”(9).
It is worth mentioning
that it is permissible to fast during Allah’s month Al-Muharram but without
specifying the last day of the year with the intention of bidding a farewell to
the lunar year of Hegira, nor the first day of Al-Muharram with the intention
of welcoming the new year by fasting, except what has been previously mentioned
regarding fasting the day of `Âshurâ’ and the two days in order to differ from
Jews (i.e. the ninth and eleventh days).
In fact, those who
specify the first day and the last day of the year by fasting, support their
opinion with a fabricated hadith: “Whoever fasts the last day of Dhu Al-Hijja
and the first day of Al-Muharram, has surely ended the last year and begins the
current year by a fast which has the reward of expiating fifty years”(10). This is in fact an invented hadith which is
falsely attributed to the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم. Abu Shâma said,
“There is nothing reported about the first night of Al-Muharram. Besides, I
made a research concerning the reported traditions whether authentic or weak
and have examined weak hadiths, but I have found no one who mentioned something
about that subject. Therefore, I fear-may Allah preserve us- that some
prevaricator invents a hadith concerning this topic” (11).
Nothing is recommended
then during the month of Al-Muharram, not even in `Âshurâ’ except fasting. As
for performing a `Umra on
the first of Al-Muharram or observing a special supplication or an invocation,
or to devote oneself during the night of `Âshurâ’ to worship, supplications and
invocations. Nothing of the aforesaid things were done, neither by the Prophet
صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم nor by his Companions رضي الله عنهم not even by the
noble successors. The Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم said: “Whoever
does an action that is not in accordance with our tradition will have it
rejected”(12)
The perfect knowledge
belongs to Allah عزَّ وجلَّ. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the
Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet, his Family, his
Companions and Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.
Footnotes:
(1) Al: a definite article in Arabic.
(2) Reported by
Muslim, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning the merit of observing fast in the
month of Al-Muharram (hadith 2755), Abu Dâwûd, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning
fasting during the month Al-Muharram (hadith 2429), At-Tirmidhi, chapter of
“Prayer”, concerning what is reported about night prayer (hadith 438),
An-Nassâ’i, chapter of “Night prayers and the supererogatory prayers of the
day”, concerning the merit of night prayers (hadith 1613) and Ahmad in his
“Musnad” (hadith 8329) on the authority of Abu Hurayra رضي الله عنه.
(3) Reported by
Al-Bukhâri, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning fasting `Âshurâ’ (hadith 1899),
Muslim, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning fasting `Âshurâ’ (hadith 2653), Mâlik
in “Al-Muwatta’” (hadith 663) and Ahmad in his “Musnad” (hadith 16425) on the
authority Mu`âwiya Ibn Abi Sufyân رضي الله عنهما.
(4) Reported by
Muslim, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning the recommendation of fasting three
days in each month…(hadith 2746), Abu Dâwûd, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning
fasting the whole year by way of supererogation (hadith 2425), Ibn Mâjah,
chapter of “Fasting”, concerning fasting `Âshurâ’ (hadith 1738) and Ahmad in
his “Musnad” (hadith 23290) on the authority of Abu Qatâda Al-Ansâriرضي الله
عنه.
(5) Reported by
Muslim, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning on which day fasting is observed for
`Âshurâ’ (hadith 2666), on the authority of Ibn `Abbâs رضي الله عنهما.
(6) Reported by
Muslim, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning on which day fasting is observed for
`Âshurâ’ (hadith 2667), Ibn Mâjah, chapter of “Fasting”, concerning fasting the
day of `Âshurâ’ (hadith 1736) and Ahmad in his “Musnad” (3203) on the authority
of Ibn `Abbâs رضي الله عنهما.
(7) Mauqûf: A tradition attributed to a Companion.
(8) Reported as being
attributed to the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم by Ibn Khuzayma in his “Sahîh”
(hadith 2095), and Ahmad in his “Musnad” (hadith 2155). Al-Albâni said in
“Sahîh Ibn Khuzayma” (3/290): “Its chain of narration is weak because the
memorization of Ibn Abi Layla is bad, and because `Atâ’ contradicted him as well
as others. In fact, `Atâ’ reported this hadith according to Ibn `Abbâs as
attributed to him; its chain of narration is authentic according to At-Tahâwi
and Al-Bayhaqi”. This hadith is reported Mauqûf by At-Tabari in “Tahdhîb
Al-Âthâr” (Musnad `Umar/1430), this tradition has been judged as authentic by
Al-Albâni as it is aforementioned and by Zakariya Ibn Ghulâm Al-Pâkistâni in
“Fî Mâ Sahha Min Âthâr As-Sahâba Fi Al-Fiqh” (2/675).
(9) See, “Fath
Al-Bâri” by Ibn Hajar (4/246).
(10) Ibn Al-Jauzi has
judged this hadith as being fabricated in “Al-Maudhû`ât” (2/199), As-Suyûti in “Al-La’âli’”
(2/108) and Ash-Shaukâni in “Al-Fawâ’id” (page: 96).
(11) See, “Al-Bâ`ith
`Ala Inkâr Al-Bida` Wal-Hawâdith” (239).
(12) This version of
the hadith is reported by Muslim, chapter of “Judgments”, concerning canceling
the invalid judgments and abrogating the heresies (hadith 4590). The two
Sheikhs, Al-Bukhâri in the chapter of “Reconciliation” (hadith 2697) and
Muslim, chapter of “Judgments” (hadith 4589) agreed to report it according to
the following version: “If somebody innovates something which is not
involved in the principles of our religion, that thing will be rejected” on
the authority of `Âishaرضي الله عنها and in Al-Bukhâri’s “Sahîh” : “…which
is not part of it…”.
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