Is It Recommended To Fast On The 9th Of Ashura With The 10th?

𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵❓

I want to fast ‘Ashoora’ this year, but some people told me that the Sunnah is to fast the day before as well (Taasoo’a’). Is there any report that this was the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?

𝑨𝑵𝑺𝑾𝑬𝑹❗️

Praise be to Allah.

It is recommended to fast on the 9th of ‘Ashoora’ with the 10th

‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora and told the people to fast, they said, “O Messenger of Allaah, this is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Next year if Allaah wills, we will fast on the ninth day.” But by the time the following year came, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had passed away.  Narrated by Muslim, 1916.

Al-Shaafa’i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaaq and others said: It is mustahabb [recommended] to fast both the ninth and the tenth, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted the tenth and intended to fast the ninth.

The wisdom of fasting the 9th of ‘Ashoora’ with the 10th

Based on this, there are different ways of fasting ‘Ashoora’, the least of which is to fast the tenth only, but it is better to fast the ninth as well. The more one fasts in Muharram, the better.

If one were to ask, what is the wisdom behind fasting the ninth as well as the tenth? The answer is:

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The scholars among our companions and others said that there are several reasons for recommending fasting on the ninth day (Tasoo’a’):

1 – The intention behind it is to be different from the Jews who limit their fasting to the tenth day. This was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas.

2 – Jews used to fast on Ashura Day (10th of Muharram), After our Prophet (PBUH) saw this act, he asked Jews and Christians what is it about, and they told that they fast because Moses (Musa AS) was saved from the Pharoah this day. After hearing this, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that we own Moses more than Jews and Christians, so he (PBUH) asked Muslims to fast on the 10th.

3 – The strongest of these reasons is in order to be different from the People of the Book. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade resembling the People of the Book in many ahaadeeth. For example, he said concerning ‘Ashoora’: “If I live until next year I will certainly fast the ninth.” Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 6.

Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on the hadeeth “If I live until next year I will certainly fast the ninth”:

His concern to fast the ninth may be understood as meaning that he would not limit himself to that, rather that he would add it to the tenth, either to be on the safe side, or to be different from the Jews and Christians, which is more likely to be correct; this is what may be understood from some of the reports narrated by Muslim.” From Fath al-Baari, 4/245.

And Allah knows best.

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This text is one of the many fatwa (answers to questions based on authentic Islamic provisions) that are made available by Malam Khamis Yusuf. You can follow him on Facebook, Telegram, and WhatsApp.