ESL Blogs

Ashura means the tenth of Muharram; the Arabic month that comes after the month of Hajj in the Arabic lunar calendar. Today is 10/10/2016 which corresponds to 09/1/1438. What is the story behind this day? When prophet Mohammad (peace and  blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Medina he found the Jewish fasting on this day. He told them what was that day and they explained that they did this to thank God because the Israelites were freed from Pharaoh, the king of Egypt at that time, on that day. The prophet told them that he and his followers had the right to fast on that day, more than the Jewish. He ordered the Muslims to fast on Ashura, but they must fast one day ahead of it or one day before.

In hadeeth, the fasting of Ashura atones the sins of the previous year. It also commemorates with the martyrdom of Al Hassan bin Ali, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Some Muslims consider it a sad day. We are fasting now to gain the favor of Allah and wipe the sins of the previous year. I should have published it yesterday to remind my fellow Muslims about it. But they can fast tomorrow and the day after.