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The Virtues of
Allah’s sacred month of Muharram
What are the virtues of the
month of Muharram
Praise be to Allaah,
the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be
upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Chief of the Messengers,
and upon all his family and companions.
Allah’s sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and
important month. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the
four sacred months concerning which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve
months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allaah on the Day when He created the
heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so
wrong not yourselves therein…” [al-Tawbah 9:36]
Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The year is twelve months of
which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhu’l-Qa’dah,
Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and
Sha’baan.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2958).
Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (muharram)
month and to confirm its sanctity.
Allaah’s words (interpretation of the meaning):
“so wrong not yourselves therein…” mean do not wrong yourselves in these
sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months.
It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas said that this
phrase (so wrong not yourselves therein…) referred to all the months,
then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is
more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.
Qutaadah said concerning this phrase (so wrong
not yourselves therein…) that wrongdoing during the sacred months is more
serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any
time is a serious matter, but Allaah gives more weight to whichever of His
commands He will. Allaah has chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen
from among the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He chose
from among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr). He chose from among the earth
the mosques, from among the months Ramadaan and the sacred months, from among
the days Friday and from among the nights Laylat al-Qadr, so venerate that which
Allaah has told us to venerate. People of understanding and wisdom venerate the
things that Allaah has told us to venerate. (Summarized from the Tafseer
of Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him. Tafseer of Surat al-Tawbah, aayah
36).
The Virtue of observing more naafil fasts during
Muharram.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadaan is
fasting Allaah’s month of Muharram.’” (reported by Muslim, 1982).
The phrase “Allaah’s month”, connecting the name of
the month to the name of Allaah in a genitive grammatical structure, signifies
the importance of the month. Al-Qaari said: “The apparent meaning is all of the
month of Muharram.” But it was proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any whole month apart
from Ramadan, so this hadeeth is probably meant to encourage increasing one’s
fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast for the entire
month.
It was reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast more in Sha’baan. It is
likely that the virtue of Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his
life, before he was able to fast during this month. (Sharh al-Nawawi
‘ala Saheeh Muslim).
Allaah chooses whatever times and places He wills
Al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said: “Times and places may be given preferred status in two ways,
either temporal or religious/spiritual. With regard to the latter, this is
because Allaah bestows His generosity on His slaves at those times or in those
places, by giving a greater reward for deeds done, such as giving a greater
reward for fasting in Ramadaan than for fasting at all other times, and also on
the day of ‘Aashooraa’, the virtue of which is due to Allaah’s generosity and
kindness towards His slaves on that day…” (Qawaa’id al-Ahkaam,
1/38).
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