Is There A Prayer Or Fasting Special For The Month Of Muharram?
Is there a prayer or fasting special for the month of Muharram?
There is no binding special methods of worship that is fardh or wajib and practised in the holy days and nights. There is no narrative in authentic sources about the existence of a nafl prayer special to the month of Muharram either.
It will be permissible for those who have missed prayers to establish qada prayers for them in the holy days and nights. Additionally, we should not forget to be occupied with acts such as reciting and understanding the Qur’an, benefitting from religious books, and reciting dhikr and salawat.
Observing fast in the month of Muharram is mustahab. One may observe fast in the beginning, end, or middle of this month, which correspond to the 13th, 14th, 15th days; or may fast on its 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th days.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “The most excellent fast after Ramadan is that of Allah’s month al-Muharram; and the most excellent after the fardh prayer is the prayer during night.” (Muslim, Siyam, 202-203; Abu Dawud, Sawm 55; Tirmidhi, Salat, 212; Nasa’i, Qiyam al-lail, 6)
The tenth day of Muharram is called the Day of Ashura. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised his ummah to observe fast on this day by saying, “Fast the Day of Ashura, for indeed I anticipate that Allah will forgive (the sins of) the year before it.” (Tirmidhi, Sawm, 48). Ibn Abbas told about observing fast on the Day of Ashura, “The Prophet (saw) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked them about that. They replied, ‘This is a good day, the day on which Allah rescued Bani Israel from their enemy. So, Moses fasted this day.’ The Prophet (saw) said, ‘We have more claim over Moses than you.’ So, the Prophet fasted on that day and ordered (the Muslims) to fast (on that day).” (Bukhari, Sawm, 69; Muslim, Siyam 127; Abu Dawud, Sawm, 65).
As the Jews observed fast only on the 10th (Ashura) day of Muharram in the period of Prophet Muhammad (saw), he advised to observe fast by adding one day before or after in order not to resemble with the practice of Jews. In some narratives, he advised to fast for three days in total by adding one day before and one day after it (Muttaqi, Kanz al-ummal, VIII, 570). For this reason, what is important while observing fast on the Day of Ashura is not to fast for only one day. One may observe a two-day fast by adding one day before or after it, or a three-day fast by adding both.
Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS
