Significance of 10 days of Muharram

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The month of Muharram is the first month of the Islamic Hijrah calendar.  Muharram is also one of the four ‘haraam’ or sacred months as mentioned by Allah in the Holy Quran.  The other sacred months are Dhil-Qada, Dhil-Hajja and Rajab.  Even the pagans of Makkah used to respect these months before the advent of Islam, and they would not fight wars or do any hostilities in these sacred months.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 36: The fact is that the number of months ordained by Allah has been twelve since the time He created the heavens and the earth, and out of these, four are forbidden months. This is the right code of reckoning, therefore, do not wrong yourselves by violating these months.

It has been reported in an authentic narration that somebody asked the Prophet (saws): “Which prayer is the best after the obligatory prayers?”   He (saws) said: “Prayer during the middle of the night.”   The person asked: “Which fast is the best after the fast of Rarnadan?”   He (saws) said, “The month of Allah that you call Muharram.”

It has been reported in an authentic narration that when the Prophet came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of 'Ashurah’. He asked them: “What is this fast?”  They said: “A great day. Allah saved Moses and the tribes of Israel from their enemies on this day and therefore, Moses fasted on this day.”  The Prophet (saws) said: “We (muslims) have more of a right to Moses than you,” so he fasted on that day also and ordered the people to fast on that day.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) fasted on the day of 'Ashurah and ordered the people to fast on it. The people said: “O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that the Jews and Christians honor.”   The Prophet (saws) said, “When the following year comes--Allah willing--we shall fast on the ninth (of Muharram also).”   The death of the Prophet came before the following year."

It has also been reported, amongst many other narrations, that the 10^th of Muharram was the day when Adam (a.s.) and Hawwa met on this earth on the plains of Arafat.   It has also been reported that it was this day of Aashura, that the ark of Noah reached its destination or embarked on Mount Judi.   It has also been reported that Prophet Ayub (a.s.) was cured of his diseases on this day of Aashura. It has also been reported that Prophet Yunus (a.s.) was forgiven by Allah and released from the stomach of the fish on this day of Aashura.