Virtues and History of Muharram
Different time systems are prevalent in the world, generally two systems are known:
1- Solar: from January to December 2- Lunar: from Muharram to Dhul Hijjah.
The solar date is related to the Christian era (from the birth of Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him). And the lunar system is related to the migration of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In the present era, all official and non-official, private and civil matters are generally carried out in terms of solar dates, however, Islamic orders and obligations are related to the lunar system, such as: fasting, zakat, Hajj, Eids, etc.
The importance of the lunar calendar
The Arabic word for moon is qamar, and it is called qumri in reference to it, because the entire system depends on the waxing and waning of the moon. And this lunar historical calendar is associated with the holy act of migration of the Prophet of the End of Time, peace and blessings be upon him. (The virtues and rules of the sacred month of Muharram)
Mufti Muhammad Shafi Usmani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes under “Innama al-Nasaa’i is an increase in disbelief”:
“The order of the lunar months that is known in Islam is the order of the Lord of the worlds, in which specific rules for specific months have been revealed. This shows that the lunar calendar is valid in the Shariah rules of Allah, and it is pleasing to Allah. Therefore, preserving the lunar calculation is a sufficient obligation. If the entire Ummah abandons the lunar calculation, it will be sinful. If the lunar calendar is preserved, it is permissible to use solar dates.” (Ma’arif al-Quran, Vol. 4, p. 373).
want to know about https://baitularqam.com/etiquette-of-visiting-madina/
The first month of the lunar year (Muharram Al-Haram)
The meaning of Muharram is: Most honorable, respected and honorable. This month is one of the sacred months, whose greatness and virtue have been mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah, in which the reward and reward of righteous deeds are doubled. This month is of such greatness that even the People of the Book and the disbelievers of Mecca used to respect and honor it. Some of the Salaf scholars have also considered Muharram Al-Haram to be the best of the sacred months, so Hafiz Ibn Rajab Hanbali (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“And the scholars differed about which of the sacred months is the best?” Al-Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The best of them is the month of Allah, the Muharram, and the group of those who are late in coming.”
“The scholars have differed about which of the sacred months is the best?” Hazrat Hasan Basri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The best month among them is the month of Allah, Muharram, and a group of the later generations have declared it to be more preferable.” (Characteristics of the month of Muharram and the day of Ashura)۔
The virtues of Muharram
The month of Muharram is one of the four months whose sanctity and greatness was written by Allah Almighty when He created the universe. Allah Almighty says:
’اِنَّ عِدَّۃَ الشُّہُوْرِ عِنْدَ اللہِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَہْرًا فِیْ کِتٰبِ اللہِ یَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضَ مِنْہَآ اَرْبَعَۃٌ حُرُمٌ‘‘(سورۃ التوبہ: ۳۶)
‘Indeed, the number of months (which) are (respected) by Allah in the Book of Allah is twelve (lunar) months from the day on which Allah created the heavens and the earth (from that day onward) and of them are four special months of worship.’ (Hazrat Thanvi)
Hazrat Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘The reward for doing good deeds in the sacred months is very great, so the punishment for committing sins in them is also very great, although sins are great at all times (in terms of evil).’ (Muzhari)
Mufti Muhammad Shafi Sahib (may Allah be pleased with him) writes: ‘All the laws of the Prophets are agreed that the reward for worship is greater in these four months and if someone commits a sin in them, his calamity and punishment are also greater.’ (Ma’arif al-Quran)
Allamah Ibn Rajab (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The predecessors used to highly respect and observe three ten days: 1- The last ten days of Ramadan, 2- The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah 3- The first ten days of Muharram Al-Haram. (The month of Muharram Al-Haram) Imam An-Nasa’i has narrated this tradition on the virtues of this blessed month:
’ عن أبي ذرؓ قال: سألتُ النبي ﷺ أيُ الیل خیر؟ و أي الأشھر أفضل؟ فقال: خیر الیل جوفہ، وأفضل الأشھر شھر اللہ الذي تدعونہ المحرم۔
“It was narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): Which part of the night is best? And which month is best? He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The middle part of the night is best, and the best of months is the month of Allah, which you call Muharram, except for the month of Ramadan.” (Characteristics of the Sacred Month of Muharram).
The virtue of fasting in Muharram
The importance of voluntary fasting in the sacred month of Muharram is great, because this month is related to Allah and this relationship indicates the virtue of the month of Muharram. The Holy Hadith states:
أفضل الصیام بعد رمضان شھر اللہ المحرم۔‘‘(رواہ مسلم، بحوالہ مشکاۃ،رقم:۲۰۴۸)
The best fast after Ramadan is the month of Muharram, the month of Allah.
This hadith refers to the general voluntary fasts of Muharram, and this is the most correct view. (The virtues and rulings of the sacred month of Muharram)
Also, the jurists believe that voluntary fasts in the sacred months, especially in the month of Muharram, are recommended according to their status and extent. (Previous reference).
Some important historical events of the month of Muharram
The Battle of Khaybar took place in the month of Muharram 7 AH. The Battle of Qadisiyah took place in the month of Muharram 14 AH. The commander of the Muslims in this battle was Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqqas (RA) and the famous commander of the infidels was Rustam. After three days of fierce fighting, the Muslims were victorious on the fourth day.
In the month of Muharram 18 AH, a deadly epidemic of the plague of Amwas spread in Syria and Iraq, and Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (RA) also died from the same disease, while he was fighting with the Muslim army in that area at that time. And in the same year, Hazrat Amir Muawiyah (RA) was appointed as the governor of Damascus by Hazrat Umar (RA) after the death of his brother Yazid bin Abi Sufyan (RA).
In the month of Muharram 24 AH, during the caliphate of Hazrat Umar (RA), Hazrat Amr bin Al-As (RA) entered Egypt victoriously, and this is the year in which Hazrat Uthman (RA) ascended the throne of caliphate. In the month of Muharram 61 AH, Hazrat Hussain (RA) along with his companions were martyred. In the month of Muharram 67 AH, the governor of Kufa, Ubaidullah bin Ziyad, was killed. In the month of Muharram 74 AH, Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (RA) died. (Summary of the virtues and rulings of the holy month of Muharram)
These are some of the historical signs that occurred in Muharram, in addition to this, numerous historical facts are mentioned in the books of Seer.
The virtues of fasting on Ashura
The virtues of fasting on Ashura are greater than those of other days of Muharram, and its virtues have been mentioned in the hadiths. The majority of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their followers (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Imams of the Mujtahids are of the opinion that fasting on the tenth of Muharram is meant by Ashura, and the word Ashura also applies to the tenth of Muharram:
“Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded fasting on the day of Ashura, so when Ramadan was made obligatory, whoever wished fasted and whoever wished broke his fast.” (Bukhari: 2001)
“Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded fasting on the day of Ashura. When the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory (the option was given), whoever wishes to fast, and whoever wishes not to fast.
In a hadith, this day was declared as the day of Allah, the Almighty. Thus, in Abu Dawud, it is narrated on the authority of Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: This is one of the days of Allah, which whoever wishes to observe, he observes, and whoever wishes to leave it.” (Abu Dawud: 2443)
And the reward for fasting on this day is that the sins of the previous year are forgiven. In a long hadith narrated by Hazrat Abu Qatadah Al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“He was asked about fasting on the day of Ashura, and he said: It expiates the past year.” (Muslim: 1126)
It should be noted in this hadith that only minor sins are forgiven, but for major sins, repentance is a condition.
Fasting on Ashura alone and opposition from the Jews
The Jews are the eternal enemies of Islam, opposing them is the Sunnah of the Prophet, that is why they were opposed in most of the commands of Islam, both verbally and in practice. Initially, only one fast was observed. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Medina, it was discovered that the Jews also fasted. On this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered to add one more day to their opposition. Either fast on the ninth, which is supported by a narration from Ibn Abbas (may Allaah be pleased with him):
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): Fast on the ninth and the tenth, and oppose the Jews. Fast towards the Qiblah for one day or after that, one day.” (Musnad Ahmad)
In the light of these statements, the jurists have written that fasting on the tenth of Muharram alone is makruh-e-tanzihi, i.e. contrary to the first, and those who think that fasting on Ashura alone is a sin are wrong. (Virtues and rulings of the month of Muharram)
Some scholars are of the opinion that there is no analogy to the fact that the Jews did not fast during this time. The argument in this regard is that first, it is not certain whether they fasted or not. (Qada fi Fatawa Rahimiyah, vol. 5, p. 197) Second, fasting on the ninth and eleventh is prescribed and has been practiced by people for fourteen hundred years. (Al-Mughni, Ibn Qudamah, with reference to the footnote on the virtues and rulings of the month of Muharram)۔
History related to the Day of Ashura
Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him) was born on this day, Hazrat Noah (peace be upon him)’s boat landed on Mount Judi on this day, Hazrat Yunus (peace be upon him) came out of the belly of the fish on this day, Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was saved from the fire on this day, Hazrat Jacob (peace be upon him) met Hazrat Joseph (peace be upon him) on this day, and Hazrat Joseph (peace be upon him) was able to ascend to the throne on the tenth of Muharram, Hazrat Moses (peace be upon him) was saved from Pharaoh along with his people on this day, and Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) was born on this day, Hazrat Solomon (peace be upon him) was given the kingdom after being tested, and Hazrat Job (peace be upon him) was also cured after being tested on this day, this is the day on which Hazrat Idris (peace be upon him) and Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) were taken up to heaven, and this is the day on which the liver of the Prophet Hazrat Hussain (peace be upon him) was The Prophet (peace be upon him) embraced the cup of martyrdom by confronting falsehood, and on that day the entire universe will be wrapped up and the Day of Judgment will be established. (Faiz al-Qadeer, Sharh al-Jami’ al-Sagheer, with reference to the characteristics of the month of Muharram al-Haram and the day of Ashura, and Ma’arif al-Quran .
Things to do in this month
There are a few things that we have to do in this month: 1- Fasting the day of Ashura, 2- Increasing spending on our family, 3- Performing obligatory acts and performing voluntary acts in abundance, 4- Trying to avoid sins, 5- Adhering to the Sunnah.
