Misconceptions of Muharram - Qari Zakaullah Saleem

The Opening Supplication

The Four Sacred Months

Muharram is one of the four sacred months. As the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has explicitly said and explained in a hadith reported by Imam Muslim that the Prophet said about these four months:

(Sahih Muslim, Book 28, Hadith 29 — narrated from Abu Bakrah)

Three of them are consecutive months: Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah, and Muharram — the eleventh, twelfth, and very first month of the Islamic calendar. And then the fourth sacred month is Rajab, as the Prophet said: the month that falls between Jumada al-Thaniyah and Sha'ban.

Why is this Month Called "Muharram"?

This very month — the month of Muharram — why is it called Muharram? What is the reason? When was this month given the status, the importance, and the significance of sacredness, and why?

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, the word Muharram itself tells us that this is one of the most sacred months. Why would I say the most sacred amongst all four sacred months? Because it is apparent and clear from its own name. The other three months that are also sacred have not been given the name of Muharram — they are called Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah, and Rajab. But this very month is called Muharram, which shows that amongst the four sacred months, Muharram has a special status.

That is why our beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم has called it شَهْرُ اللهِ الْمُحَرَّم — the month of Allah Dhul Jalal wal Ikram. Although every single day and night, time belongs to Allah, but out of respect, significance, and importance, Allah has given this month a special status. The Prophet called this month Shahrullahil Muharram out of respect for this month.

It is very similar to the word Baitullahil Muharram — when we say the house of Allah. The house of Allah does not mean that Allah resides in that house; rather, this is the house that has been sanctified and given importance and significance in our religion. That is why it is called Baitullahil Muharram, and the word Muharram is attached to it — meaning the house of Allah is also sacred. So when the word "sacred" is attached to any time, any place, or any object, it means it has special significance and importance in our religion.

The Meaning of Sacredness

What is the significance that we need to bear in mind? My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, the significance of something or a time being sacred means that performing any good deed in that specific time or in that place has more reward — more rewards than performing deeds in any other place and time. For example, praying in Baitullah, in Masjidul Haram, the sacred Masjid. Although every single Masjid is sacred, the specific name Masjidul Haram is given to the Masjid that is built around the house of Allah, Baitullahil Muharram. Performing one single salah in that sacred Masjid is better than performing 100,000 prayers in any other Masjid on this land.

And this is what sacredness means — when you perform a good deed in that place, it has multiple rewards. Likewise, performing or committing any sin, disobeying Allah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, in a sacred time or within a sacred place, is also multiplied. It increases the gravity of that sin when you commit it in a land that is sacred.

That is why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said in a hadith reported by Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, and many other Muhaddithin: when the Prophet delivered the farewell sermon during his Hajj, he said that Allah has made the blood of you Muslims sacred, similar to the sacredness of this month, within this land — the land of Makkah al-Mukarramah — and within this day, the day of Arafah and Yawm al-Nahar.

So sacredness has two aspects: committing sins in sacred time and sacred land is multiplied in gravity, and also performing good deeds in sacred time and land carries multiple reward.

That is why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"The best of fasting after the month of Ramadan is the fasting of the month of Allah, the month of Muharram." (Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Hadith 202 — narrated from Abu Hurairah)

A Major Misconception About Muharram

In general, fasting within this month has more reward than fasting in any other month. But specifically, the 10th day of this month has a significance in our religion, which is called Yawm Ashura — the 10th of Muharram. Before I shed some light on this specific day, I would like to bring to your attention something we need to bear in mind: the sacredness of this month is not because of any event that took place in the history of Islam. And this is one of the biggest misconceptions or misunderstandings that the vast majority of Muslims have today.

As soon as the month of Muharram starts, some historical events come to mind. For example, the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of our beloved Nabi. Obviously, as Muslims, we feel sad because of the martyrdom and the oppression that Hussain faced in Karbala. But it has nothing to do with the sacredness of this month. And even before Hussain, as we know from the hadith of Rasulullah, Sayyiduna Musa was saved from the oppression of Fir'aun on this very day, the 10th of Muharram. But has the month of Muharram been made sacred because of this event? No.

Allah says in the Quran that Allah made the number of months within a year 12, and out of those 12 months, 4 are sacred — and Allah has given them this status from the day He created the heavens and the earth.

So the sacredness of the month of Muharram, or the 10th of this month, Yawm Ashura, has nothing to do with the events that took place in history. They have nothing to do with the martyrdom of Hussain, nor solely with the story of Sayyiduna Musa.

Yawm Ashura and the Connection to Sayyiduna Musa

Although fasting on the 10th of Muharram does have some connection with the story of Sayyiduna Musa. But this is not the only reason the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم fasted on this very day.

Our mother Aisha says that the Quraish used to fast on the 10th of Muharram, which also shows that even before Islam, the people of Jahiliyyah used to pay special attention to the sacredness of this month, and the Quraish used to fast on the 10th of Muharram. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also fasted on the 10th of Muharram.

And later, when the Prophet made his hijrah and migrated from Mecca to Madinah al-Munawwarah, he arrived in Madinah al-Munawwarah and witnessed the Jews of Madinah fasting on this day — the 10th of Muharram — as well. The Prophet asked them the reason for their fasting on this day. They said: "We fast because on this very day Allah saved our beloved Nabi Musa from the army of Fir'aun, and Allah destroyed the enemy of Musa and drowned him in the sea on this very day. And then Musa fasted on this day out of his thankfulness to Allah for His blessing and bounty. So Musa fasted on this day, and that is why we fast on this day — the 10th of Muharram."

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"I have more right to Musa than you." — So the Prophet fasted on this day and commanded his companions to fast. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2004; Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Hadith 197 — narrated from Ibn Abbas)

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم recommended his companions and his whole Ummah to fast on this day, the 10th of Muharram. He continued fasting every year on the 10th of Muharram until, in the very last year of his life, he fasted on the 10th of Muharram and then said: "If I live for the next year, then I will fast on the 9th of Muharram as well."

Which Days to Fast — The Scholarly Discussion

The scholars have a difference of opinion on this issue. Some scholars are of the opinion that the fasting of the 10th of Muharram alone is no longer sufficient, and that one should fast on the 9th — because the main purpose is to thank Allah for granting salvation and saving Sayyiduna Musa from the oppression of Fir'aun. Since the purpose is to thank Allah, we can express that thanks at any time. And the Prophet expressed his desire to fast on the 9th had he lived the following year. But because the Prophet left this world and did not witness the next year, these scholars are of the opinion that we as Muslims should fast on the 9th of Muharram. This is one opinion.

The other opinion is that the Prophet did not mean that we should abandon fasting on the 10th, but rather that he wanted to do something distinct from the Jews — he did not want his Ummah to completely follow the Jews even in religious aspects. But at the same time, he wanted his Ummah to continue thanking Allah for the blessing upon Sayyiduna Musa. So what the Prophet meant was that, had he lived the next year, he would have fasted both the 9th and the 10th. And this seems to be the most correct opinion.

So when we intend to fast on the 10th of Muharram, we should also try to fast on the 9th of Muharram as well. And in another hadith, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said — the hadith reported by Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them):

"If I remain until next year, I will fast on the ninth." — The scholars understood from this that one should fast both the 9th and 10th, or 10th and 11th. (Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Hadith 203 — narrated from Ibn Abbas)

Whenever you intend to fast on the 10th of Muharram, try to fast a day before or the day after — meaning you should fast on the 10th of Muharram along with the 9th or the 11th as well.

Lessons from the Story of Sayyiduna Musa

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, it is clearly stated in the hadith of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم that Allah saved Sayyiduna Musa and his people from the oppression of Fir'aun on the 10th of Muharram. This gives us a reminder that Allah delays the punishment of the oppressor for a while — Allah gives respite — but eventually Allah destroys the oppressor and grants victory to the oppressed ones.

Musa and his people experienced and faced the oppression of Fir'aun for many, many years. But eventually Allah granted victory to Sayyiduna Musa and destroyed Fir'aun and his army before the very eyes of Musa and his companions. This gives us hope, for this is the Sunnah of Allah — the consistent practice of Allah Dhul Jalal — that Allah delays the punishment of the oppressor but never lets the oppressor flee. As the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"Verily Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him, He does not let him escape." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4686; Sahih Muslim, Book 45, Hadith 61 — narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash'ari)

Allah destroys the oppressor in a way that becomes a lesson for the whole universe, as Allah did with Fir'aun. Allah Dhul Jalal wal Ikram says in Surah Ghafir:

Allah saved Musa from the evil planning of Fir'aun, and the severe punishment of Allah encircled Fir'aun and his army. And then in the following ayah, Allah says:

After leaving this world — having been destroyed — Fir'aun and his people are being presented before the Fire every single morning and evening. They are being shown the Fire every morning and evening. And when Allah establishes the Last Hour — Qiyamah — Allah will order the angels: "Enter the people of Fir'aun into the most severe punishment." And this is the practice, this is the Sunnah of Allah Dhul Jalal wal Ikram.

Nowadays the Muslim Ummah is facing great oppression throughout the world, yet we have hope in the mercy of Allah Dhul Jalal wal Ikram that one day Allah is going to catch, destroy, and punish the oppressors — be it in Syria, in Burma, in Iraq, in Palestine, or anywhere in the world. This is something we learn from the hadith and from the ayat of the Quran: Allah destroys the oppressors, and victory is always for the oppressed ones.

Lessons from the Seerah: The Hijrah and Muharram

This very lesson we also learn from the seerah of our beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet started his planning for his migration — his hijrah — within this month, the month of Muharram, because it was during the days of Hajj when the Prophet encountered and met some of the people of Madinah who had come to perform Hajj. He met them in Mina, very close to Jabal Aqabah, where those people gave the pledge to the Prophet that is known in the seerah as Bay'at Aqaba al-Thaniyah — the second pledge of Aqabah. Those people pledged to the Prophet that if he decided to leave Mecca and migrate to Madinah al-Munawwarah, the people of Madinah would protect him and his companions.

After that pledge, the Prophet started his planning, and it was within this month of Muharram when he began that planning — although the Prophet arrived in Madinah al-Munawwarah in Rabi' al-Awwal. The Prophet was forced to leave his homeland, Makkah al-Mukarramah — the most sacred land on this planet — while shedding tears from his eyes. He left Makkah al-Mukarramah and migrated to Madinah al-Munawwarah. Ten years later, the Prophet returned back to Makkah al-Mukarramah as the victorious one.

Again, it gives us a lesson and reminds us: never despair of the mercy of Allah. Looking at the oppression that Muslims are facing around the globe, never give up hope in the mercy of Allah Dhul Jalal wal Ikram. A day will come when Allah will destroy all the oppressors, and the victory is for the oppressed ones.

Regarding the Islamic New Year

Very quickly, my dear brothers and sisters, I would like to highlight another point with regards to the new year. When the new year starts, we begin receiving and sending messages of "Happy New Year" and similar things, and people sometimes go even further and say we should celebrate the new year. First of all, my dear brothers and sisters, it is enough for us to know that our beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم never celebrated any new year in his life. And this should be sufficient for any Muslim, without even going into the argument of its permissibility or impermissibility — this should suffice as evidence that your Nabi never celebrated it.

And especially nowadays, in this age and time, when the body of the whole Muslim Ummah is bleeding — the Muslims are facing oppression in Burma, your brothers, your sisters, your children are being killed — you should be begging Allah Dhul Jalal wal Ikram, you should be making du'a to Allah to alleviate the suffering of the Muslims around the globe.

Closing Du'a

May Allah save the people of Burma and Myanmar from the oppression of those who are oppressing them. May Allah curse the oppressors. May Allah send His mercy, His blessing, His protection, and His safety upon the people of Burma, the people of Syria, the people of Iraq, Palestine, Kashmir, and everywhere — wherever the oppressed ones are. May Allah alleviate their suffering. May Allah protect them and shower His mercy upon them.

May Allah give us tawfiq and the ability to be steadfast and firm on our religion. May Allah help the Muslims and assist those who are oppressed around the globe. May Allah give us tawfiq and the ability to understand His religion.