The Virtues of Allah's sacred month of Muharram
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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).
http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?pg=article&ln=eng&article_id=77
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