Muharram – Anniversaries, Events, Prayers & Fasts, Yaum-e-Ashura

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sanctified months Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.

Hadhrat Abu BakrahI relates the fact in a hadith of the Holy ProphetH, The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Shabaan. (Bukhari, 2958).

Hadhrat Abu HurairahI related: “The Messenger of AllahE (Holy ProphetH) said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.’(sahih Muslim).

Important Anniversaries and Events in Muharram

1st Islamic New Year,
Wissal Shaykh Abul Hassan Ali Bukhari, Baghdad Shareef
Birth: Hadrat Umar FarooqI,
Birth: Hadrat Shahabuddin SuharwardiI
2nd Wissal Hadrat Khwaja Ma’roof Kirki, Baghdad Shareef
4th Wissal Hadrat Khwaja Hassan BasriI
6th Chhatthi Shareef, Khawaja Gharib-e-NawazI, Ajmer Shareef
8th Wissal: Hadrat Imam Zayn al-AbideenI Medina Munawwara
9th Shab-e-Ashura
10th Yaum-e-Ashura
AllahE Created the Skies, Earth and the Lauw-e-Qalam.
Hadhrat AdamS and Hadhrat Hawa were created.
Tauba (apology) of Hadhrat AdamS was accepted.
Would be the Day of Qiyyamah (Judgement day).
AllahE gave his infinite blessings and bounties to many of his Prophets and delivered them from the clutches of the enemies
Hadhrat IdreesS was raised into the skies.
Ship of Hadrat NoahS came to rest on Mount Al-Judi.
Hadrat AyyubS was delivered from distress and regained his health.
Hadrat YunusS was cast onto the shore after being swallowed by a fish for 40 days.
Hadhrat YaqubS met Hadhrat YusufS after 40 years.
Hadrat MoosaS got victory over the Pharoah
The Birth of Hadrat IbrahimS
Hadrat IbrahimS received the status of Khaleelullah.
Tauba (apology) of Hadhrat DawoodS was accepted.
Hadhrat SulaimanS received his Kingdom.
Hadhrat IsaS was raised into the skies.
Hadhrat Muhammad MustaphaH made Nikah to Sayyidah Bibi KhadijaJ.
Martyrdom of Imam HussainI, Karbala
11th Gyarwee Sharif: Hadrat Shaykh Abd’al-Qadir al-JilaniI
19th Wissal: Hadrat Sayyad Ahmad al-Jilani, Baghdad Shareef
20th Wissal: Hadrat BilalI
Wissal: Hadrat Shah Waliyullah DhelviI
21st Wissal: Mawlana Muhammad Nazir al-Akram Sahib Naeemi
25th Birth: Hadrat Imam HassanI

Fasting in Muharram

It is recommended to fast as many days as possible in the holy month of Muharram as mentioned in Ahadith of Prophet MuhammadH, especially fast the following holy days:

The first day of Muharram – Islamic New Year
9th of Muharram – Night (preceding) of ‘Ashura
10th of Muharram – Yawm al ‘Ashura
Three days; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, (preferably on the first 10 days of Muharram)

Ahadith Regarding Fasting in Muharram and ‘Ashura

The best of fasts besides the month of Ramadan is the fast during Allah’s month of Muharram and the best of Salaats besides the Fardh (obligatory Salaat) is the Tahajjud Salaah (performed after midnight). (Sahih Muslim).

Narrated from Ibn al’AbbasI that the ProphetH said, “Whoever fasts the last day of Dhul Hijjah and the first day of Muharram, he completes a whole year’s worth of fasting in that previous year, and AllahE gives him penance for 50 years.”

Narrated from AnasI that the ProphetH said, “Whoever fasts the first Friday of Muharram AllahE will forgive his preceding sins, and whoever fasts three days of Muharram – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, AllahE will write for him worship and prayers for 900 years.”

Narrated from ‘Aisha Umm al Mu’mineenJ (mother of the believers) that the ProphetH said, “Whoever fasts the first ten days up till ‘Ashura, he will inherit the Paradise al-Firdaus.”

In another hadith, the ProphetH said, “Distinguish yourselves from (others) by fasting either the day before ‘Ashura or the day after it as well.” (Some scholars especially recommends to fast the day before Ashura (9th of Muharram)

Fasting of ‘Ashura is Sunnah Mu’akkadah, that which is highly desired. ProphetH said, “Whoever fasts the ‘Ashura (10th Muharram), AllahE will write for him a 1000 wishes and a 1000 years of age, and will grant him the reward of a 1000 martyrs, and will write for him the reward of Isma`ilS, and writes for him 70 palaces in paradise, and makes his flesh forbidden from the hellfire.”

In another hadith, the ProphetH said, “Whoever fasts the ‘Ashura, he will be granted the reward of a thousand angels. And whoever recites “Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad” a 1000 times on the day of ‘Ashura, AllahE will glance at him with the Eyes of Mercy, and will write him from amongst the Siddiqqin [The Truthful].”

Nawafil Prayers on the first night of Muharram

On the first night (when the moon is sighted), perform 8 raka’at (4 sets of 2), after Isha salaat, in each raka’at after Surah Fatiha, recite Surah Ikhlas 11 times. AllahE willing the Almighty will grant freedom to him/her as well to his/her family members.

After Isha salaat, perform six raka’at (3 sets of 2) in each raka’at after Surah Fatiha, recite Surah Ikhlas 7 times. AllahE will grant reward of offering innumerable salaat.

After Isha salaat, perform 2 raka’at. In each raka’at after Surah Fatiha, recite Surah Takaasur 5 times and Surah Ikhlas 3 times. After salaat perform repentance of sins and make plea to Allahu ta’ala to grant forgiveness. AllahE would forgive sins and grant forgiveness.

After Isha, perform six raka’at (3 sets of 2), in each raka’at after Surah Fatiha recite Ayatul Kursi once and Surah Ikhlas 15 times. AllahE will grant reward of 1000 salaat, Insha AllahE.

After Isha salaat, perform 4 raka’at (2 sets of 2), in each raka’at after Surah Fatiha, recite Surah Ikhlas 11 times. After the salaat, recite the following dua:
Sub-bu-hun Qud-du-sur Rab-bu-naa wa Rab-bul Ma-laa-ika-ti war-ruh.
AllahE will grant immense reward to the one who perform this salaat.

Nawafil Prayers on the first day of Muharram

On the first of Muharram, perform 2 raka’at Nawafil prayers. In each raka’at after Surah Fatiha, recite Surah Ikhlas 3 times. After the salat, pray to AllahE for all your needs and desires. From the blessings of this prayer, AllahE will appoint an Angel for such a person. The Angel will guide him or her to do only good deeds and prevent the person from engaging in sinful acts.

On the first day of Muharram, twenty minutes after sunrise and before Zawaal time, perform 2 raka’at salaat, after Surah Fatiha, recite Surah Ikhlas 13 times in the first raka’at and 12 times in the second raka’at. After completion of the salaat, recite the following dua:
Allahumma an-tal a-ba-dul qa-dee-mu wa haa-zi-hee sa-na-tun as-aluka fee-hal as-ma-ta mi-nash-shaitaa-nir-rajeemi wal av-na ‘a-laa haa-zi-hin-nafsi am-maa-ra-ti bis-soo-i wal ish-ti-gaa-li bi-maa yu-qar-ri-bu-nee i-lai-ka ya Zal-ja-laa-li wal-ikraam.
AllahE will forgive all the sins of the one who perform this salaat and dua.

On the first day of Muharram, after Zuhr salaat, perform two raka’at in each raka’at after Surah Fatiha, recite Surah Ikhlas 3 times. After completion of salaat, raise hands and recite the following dua 3 times:
Allahumma an-tal-laa-hul ab-ra-rul qa-dee-mu wa haa-zi-hi sa-na-tun ja-dee-datun as-a-luka fee-hal as-ma-ta mi-nash-sha-yaa-tee-ni wal av-na aa-lan-naf-sil am-maa-ra-ti bis-soo-i wa as-a-lukal ish-ti-gaa-la bi-maa tu-qar-ri-bu-nee i-lai-ka yaa Ka-ree-mu Yaa Zal-Ja-laa-li wal-ik-raam.
AllahE will protect him/her from Shaitan for the whole year.

Yawm-e-Ashura

Ashura is one of the most sacred days in the sight of AllahE. Those who remain busy in worshiping AllahE on that day get an enormously rich reward.

Hadhrat Ibne AbbasI reported a Hadith that the Holy ProphetH as saying, If someone gives (a thirsty person) a drink of water on the day of Ashura, it is just as if he had never disobeyed AllahE for a single instant.

Hadhrat AliI reported a Hadith that the Holy ProphetH as saying, If someone spends the night of Ashura in vigilant worship, AllahuE will let him live as long as he wishes.

Hadhrat Sufiyan ibn UyainV was informed by Hadhrat Ha’far al-Kulee, who got this tradition from well-known and reputed personality of Kufaa, Hadhrat Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn al-MuntashirV, the Holy ProphetH has said, If someone treats his dependents with special generosity on the day of Ashura, AllahE will treat that person with special generosity throughout the rest of the year. Hadhrat SufiyanV says, He gave us that information 50 years ago, and since then we have experienced nothing but prosperity.

Practices of the Day of ‘Ashura

1. Take the Sunnah shower on the day of ‘Ashura
2. Wear the Kuhl on your eyes
And you will not suffer sickness in that year except the illness of death.
3. Perform 4 Rak’at Sunnah, in each rak’ah after the Surat al Fatiha recite Surat al Ikhlas 11 times.
The person who Pray these 4 Rak’ah, AllahE will forgive his/her sins of 50 years and will build for him/her a pulpit from light.

Dua E Ashura 10th Muharram Youm E Ashura Dua

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