03/02/2025
*𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙪𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙢*
(Surely, the number of months according to Allah is twelve in the Book of Allah on the day He created the heavens and the Earth, of which there are Four Sacred Months.)
Islamic calendar begins with the month of Muharram, which is one of the great months. Allah (S.W.A.) praised it in above mentioned verse of the Quran. There is a special day in this month which carries a great importance, is called ‘Ashura’.
The Quraish of Makkah considered the day of ‘Ashura’ respectable day in their dark ages. On such day, the cover of Ka’bah was changed into new one and the Quraish used to fast. They must have got some narratives of Hazrat Ibrahim (PBUH) about it. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) agreed with Quraish and joined them in good jobs regarding the faction of Hazrat Ibrahim (PBUH). On the basis of this, he used to go on a pilgrimage and to fast.
Only two tasks are established to do on the day of ‘Ashura’ by authentic Ahadith. One of them is to fast. In this month, keeping fast, not only on the day of ‘Ashura’ but in remaining days also, causes a great reward. But we must keep in mind that it is forbidden to imitate Jews in Ahadith. So our Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said: The fast of ‘Ashura’ should either be prefixed or suffixed by another fast. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) also intended to have fast on 9th of Muharram next year.
Second one is that Islam instructed to do, on such day, is to become more generous for our family by providing more food to them. In the result of this act Allah (S.W.A.) increases our livelihood. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (R.A.) reported, the Prophet (PBUH) said: The one who carries out generosity for his family by providing much more food to them, Allah (S.W.A.) surely increases his livelihood the whole year.
Muharram is the blessed and sanctified month. We cannot fully pay its rights without bearing the teachings of Shariah. So we must make ourselves entitled of Allah’s special blessings by engaging in prayers of this sacred month. But a few people violated the sanctity of this blessed month, specially on the day of ‘Ashura’, through various self-made rituals and innovations. In this month, they engaged themselves in sins instead of getting reward by binding themselves over these rituals and innovations. We must take notice carefully that just as the reward of worship increases in this month, in the same way there is an anxiety of increasing the punishment of sins. So it is must for every Muslim
to avoid each type of innovations in this month.
In conclusion, we pray that may Allah protect us from these acts of sin and grant us taufiq to do valuable acts in this month specially according to the studies of Islam.
Aameen.
