The Virtues Of Fasting On ‘Ashura’

Ibn ‘Abbas (RadiAllahu anhuma) said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu alaihi wa sallam) so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of ‘Ashura’, and this month, meaning Ramadhan.” [Reported by al-Bukhari, 1867] The meaning of his being keen was that he intended to fast on that day in the hope of earning the reward for doing so. The Prophet (sallellahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “For fasting the day of ‘Ashura’, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.” [Reported by Muslim, 1976] This is from the bounty of Allah towards us: for fasting one day He gives us expiation for the sins of a whole year.And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty.
Which Day is ‘Ashura’? An-Nawawi ( r.al ) said: “‘Ashura’ and Tasu’a’ are two elongated names [the vowels are elongated] as is stated in books on the Arabic language. Our companions said:’Ashura’ is the tenth day of Muharram and Tasu’a’ is the ninth day. This is our opinion, and that of the majority of scholars. This is the apparent meaning of the ahadith and is what we understand from the general wording. It is also what is usually understood by scholars of the language.” [Al-Majmu’]) ‘Ashura’ is an Islamic name that was not known at the time of Jahiliyyah. [Kashshaf al-Qina’, part 2, Sawm Muharram] Ibn Qudamah (r.a.) said: “‘Ashura’ is the tenth day of Muharram. This is the opinion of Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib and al-Hasan. It was what was reported by Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.), who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) commanded us to fast ‘Ashura’, the tenth day of Muharram.’ [Reported by at-Tirmidhi, who said, a sahih hasan hadith]