Points On Muharram & Aashuraa’

Clarification And Reminders Regarding The Month Of Muharram & Aashuraa’

“Indeed, the number of months (in a year) according to Allah is twelve months … Among these are the four sacred months.” (Surah Taubah, Aayat 36)

The following points are penned in order to clarify certain misconceptions as well as to serve as a reminder for ourselves first and for every Muslim few important aspects of Muharram:

• Muharram is the last of the three consecutive Ashurul-Hurum (the four sacred months) which are as follows: Rajab, Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram.
• Based on the above, this month (Muharram) should be treated with respect and care by performing extra Nawaafil Ibaadaat.
• Muharram should be revered. Men should punctually be in the Masjid for every Salaah with Jamaat. Make a time for Tilaawat daily. Stay away from TV and ALL Haraam pictography. Added to that, stay far away from the Ulama-e-Government such as the ones who fight to keep the Masaajid closed, who appear on TV, chat to females, participate in Kufr interfaith gatherings and who seek to abolish the Laws of Nikaah, Talaaq, etc. by slyly pushing for the Kufr MMB Bill for which they shall suffer Divine Retribution if they keep on attempting to achieve such accursed courses. These scholars simply ruin one’s Imaan and Hereafter. Rather sit in the company of the Ulama-e-Haq and take one’s guidance from the Ulama-e-Haq.
• This month was great even before the martyrdom of the grandson of Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), Hazrat Husain (Radhiyallahu anhu) in Karbala. 
• It is ludicrous and alien-to-Deen to knock spikes or nails into one’s body on a specific day of this month as the Kuffaar Shi’as do while chanting slogans such as ‘Yaa Husain’ – ‘Yaa Ali’, etc.
• A Hadith Shareef which encourages fasting in Muaharram mentions Muharram as ‘Shahrullaah’ (the Month of Allah).
• Nikaah on any day / night of this month is perfectly permissible. Yes, weddings and other similar functions besides the Sunnah Walimah which meets the demands of the Sunnah, remain Haraam in Muharram just as they remain Haraam in any other month.
• It is NOT Sunnah to exchange gifts on the 10^th Muharram (Aashuraa’). There is no narration or practice of any Sahaabi or authority of Deen to give weight to this custom. Hence, this is a Bid’ah, therefore HARAAM.
• Beware of imitating the Kuffaar by introducing their styles and cultures camouflaged in Islamic garb such as saying ‘Happy new Islamic year’, which the Kuffaar use during their new year celebrations.
• Similarly, just as Kuffaar have ‘Christmas presents’, ‘Mother’s day’, and other similar days in which they exchange gifts, etc. Shaitaan has misled us into camouflaging imitating them by dubbing it as ‘Aashuraa’ gifts’ or ‘Muharram gifts’. There is NO basis for gifts on this particular day, hence abstain from falling prey to Shataan’s tricks.
• The only encouragement found in the Hadith Shareef for Aashuraa’ – besides fasting – is to spend a little more on one’s own family. This can be easily achieved by purchasing some extra food items.  
• The custom which some families have of gathering in a hall or a specific venue for an ‘Aashuraa’ supper’ is baseless.
• Fasting on the 10^th of Muharram coupled with a fast before it or after it (9^th and 10^th or 10^th and 11^th) is a Sunnah and earns one forgiveness of the past year’s sins.
• Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) commanded the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum) to oppose the Yahood who also fasted on the day of Aashuraa’ by fasting a day before or after the 10^th of Muharram.
• This serves as the lessons of Aashuraa’ – the opposing of the Yahood and Nasaaraa’. This should be our reflection (Muraaqabah) we should make by introspecting, “How much of the lifestyle, attire (dressing), manners, styles, fashion, ideologies, manner of dealings, etc. of the Yahood and Nasaaraa’ do I have in my life?”

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