Muḥarram & ʿĀshūrā — a Hijri New Year that's right

1 · Muḥarram — one of the four sacred months

Allah ﷻ says: "The number of months with Allah is twelve — in the Book of Allah, on the day He created the heavens and the earth — of which four are sacred" (Qur'an 9:36).

Those four are: Dhul-Qaʿdah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muḥarram and Rajab (Bukhārī & Muslim, in the Farewell Sermon). In these months sins weigh heavier, and ʿibādah weighs heavier. Muḥarram has an additional honourable name: Shahrullāh — "the month of Allah" (Muslim).

The Prophet ﷺ said: "The best fasting after Ramadan is in Shahrullāh, the month of Muḥarram" (Muslim). For anyone who takes voluntary fasting seriously: this is the second priority-month after Ramadan itself.

2 · The Hijri New Year — what is not Sunnah

An important disclaimer before we get to Yawm ʿĀshūrā, since this is where much confusion arises:

Not Sunnah

• Specific "Hijri New Year duʿās" recited on 1 Muḥarram — no authentic narration supports them.
• Festivities or "happy new year" tradition around 1 Muḥarram like the Gregorian New Year — not practised by the Prophet ﷺ or the ṣaḥābah.
• "New Year resolutions" as a specific ritual — niyyah is made every day, not just yearly.

Sunnah

• Abundant voluntary fasting throughout the month (Muslim).
• Tasūʿa (9 Muḥarram) — fasting in preparation for ʿĀshūrā.
• ʿĀshūrā (10 Muḥarram) — fasting as the greatest deed of this month.

3 · ʿĀshūrā — the 10th of Muḥarram

The background

When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madīnah, he saw that the Jews fasted on the 10th of Muḥarram. He asked why, and they said: "This is an honourable day — the day Allah saved Mūsā (ʿalayhi as-salām) from Pharaoh." The Prophet ﷺ replied: "We have more right to Mūsā than you," and he himself fasted on this day and ordered us to fast (Bukhārī & Muslim).

The reward

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Fasting on the day of ʿĀshūrā — I hope from Allah that it expiates the sins of the previous year" (Muslim). One year of sins forgiven by one day. The second-greatest fasting reward of the year (after Yawm ʿArafah, which forgives two years).

Tasūʿa — fast the 9th too

In the final year of his life the Prophet ﷺ said: "If I am alive next year, I will fast the 9th too" (Muslim). Therefore the Sunnah: fast 9 + 10 Muḥarram together, or alternatively 10 + 11. The aim is to distinguish ourselves from those who fast only the 10th for purely Jewish-religious reasons.

Three levels of ʿĀshūrā fasting

• Minimum: only the 10th — receives the basic reward (1 year of sins forgiven).
• Better: 9 and 10 — follows the Prophet's ﷺ stated intention.
• Highest: 9, 10 and 11 — full distinction + extra Muḥarram fasting.

4 · The story of Mūsā ʿalayhi as-salām

On this day the sea split. Banū Isrāʾīl reached the other side. Pharaoh and his army were drowned. A day of pure justice — tyranny fell, justice stood. "And We saved Mūsā and all who were with him; then We drowned the others" (Qur'an 26:65-66).

Fasting on this day is a reminder of that principle: tyranny has a final expiry date, and whoever clings to justice is ultimately saved — even if it requires the sea itself.

5 · Bidʿah to avoid

This requires extra attention since ʿĀshūrā is culturally heavily overgrown:

• 10 Muḥarram as a mourning day for Ḥusayn (rh) — the murder of al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī on 10 Muḥarram 61 AH was an immense tragedy, but it never became a ritual in the Sunnah. Self-flagellation, special mourning processions, "ʿAzādārī" — not Sunnah; the Prophet ﷺ explicitly forbade excessive mourning over the dead (Bukhārī).
• Specific ʿĀshūrā foods as ritual ("ashure pudding" as a Sunnah claim) — cultural tradition is fine, but pretending it's a religious deed is bidʿah.
• "Ghusl on ʿĀshūrā", "applying kohl on ʿĀshūrā", "visiting graves on ʿĀshūrā" — all from weak or fabricated narrations.

What is Sunnah? Fasting. And more voluntary fasting in Muḥarram as a whole. That's all. Simplicity is power here.

6 · The checklist

• ☐ Tasūʿa (9 Muḥarram) — fast
• ☐ ʿĀshūrā (10 Muḥarram) — fast
• ☐ Bonus: 11 Muḥarram — extra fasting for distinction
• ☐ Increased sadaqah throughout the month
• ☐ Increased Qur'an — at least daily presence
• ☐ Don't engage in cultural bidʿah — explain kindly if asked
• ☐ Read the story of Mūsā ʿalayhi as-salām with your children

"Allāhumma taqabbal min-nā" —
O Allah, accept it from us.

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Products that support this month

• Food & Drink — Madīna dates for sūhūr and iftar
• Tasbih & Dhikr — for increased dhikr in a sacred month
• Zakat calculator — many plan zakat in Muḥarram as their annual ḥawl marker
• Hijri calendar — odd nights + sacred months marked