The Day of ʿAshūrāʾ — the 10th of Muḥarram, the first month of the Islamic calendar — is one of the most historically significant and spiritually blessed days in Islam. It is a day on which Allah ﷻ showed His mercy, power, and favour to His Prophets across many centuries. This article presents the complete Islamic account.
The Day Mūsā Was Saved
The central event of ʿAshūrāʾ is the rescue of Sayyidunā Mūsā and the Children of Israel from Pharaoh. After years of oppression and slavery in Egypt, Allah ﷻ commanded Mūsā to lead his people out. Pharaoh pursued them with his army. At the Red Sea, Allah ﷻ parted the waters and the Children of Israel crossed on dry land. When Pharaoh and his army followed, the sea closed over them:
“And We took the Children of Israel across the sea. Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims.”
Sūrah Yūnus (10:90)
The Prophet’s ﷺ Fasting and Its Reason
When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madīnah and found the Jewish community fasting on the 10th of Muḥarram, he asked them why. They said: “This is the day Allah saved Mūsā and his people and drowned Pharaoh, and Mūsā fasted on this day out of gratitude.” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “We have more right to Mūsā than you” — and fasted and commanded the believers to fast. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 2004)
Other Events of ʿAshūrāʾ Throughout History
Islamic scholars narrate that ʿAshūrāʾ has been a day of divine mercy for multiple Prophets:
- Sayyidunā Ādam — his repentance was accepted on this day
- Sayyidunā Nūḥ — his ark came to rest on Mount Jūdi
- Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm — saved from the fire of Nimrod
- Sayyidunā Yūsuf — released from prison
- Sayyidunā Ayyūb — cured of his illness after his patient endurance
- Sayyidunā Yūnus — emerged from the belly of the whale
- Sayyidunā ʿIsā — raised to the heavens
The Virtue of Fasting on ʿAshūrāʾ
“Fasting on the Day of ʿAshūrāʾ, I hope from Allah that it will expiate the sins of the previous year.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 1162
The Hanafī school recommends fasting on both the 9th and 10th of Muḥarram — the Tāsūʾāʾ and ʿAshūrāʾ — to distinguish from the practice of the Jews and in accordance with the Prophet’s ﷺ expressed intention: “If I live until next year, I will certainly fast the ninth as well.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 1134)
A Note on the Tragedy of Karbalāʾ
The 10th of Muḥarram 61 AH also saw the tragic martyrdom of Sayyidunā Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ؓ — the beloved grandson of the Prophet ﷺ — at Karbalāʾ. The Sunni position is to grieve this tragedy with dignity, to love Sayyidunā Ḥusayn ؓ deeply, and to send prayers upon him and his family — while neither practising the rites of mourning adopted by some, nor being indifferent to one of the greatest tragedies in Islamic history. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Ḥusayn is from me and I am from Ḥusayn.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī, no. 3775)
May Allah ﷻ grant us the blessing of fasting on ʿAshūrāʾ, accept our good deeds, forgive our past year’s sins, and grant mercy to all the Prophets and their blessed families. Āmīn.
