Ashura Day(Abdullah Cheng)
Dear brothers and sisters,
We are now in the month of Muharram, soon after a few days on the 10th day of Muharram, it will be the day of Ashura. The day of Ashura was already significant even before the coming of Islam, even the Quraysh would be fasting on this day. Before Ramadan became obligatory, the Prophet (SAW) would command the Sahaba to fast on the day of Ashura, and only after fasting had been prescribed during the month of Ramadan, fasting on the day of Ashura became optional and encouraged. And there is a huge benefit to fasting on the day of Ashura, as the Prophet (SAW) told us, fasting on the day of Ashura will expiate all the minor sins of the previous year.
The days of Muharram and the day of Ahura mark significant historical events and moments that occurred in the past. Among them, the most well-known is the victory that Allah (SWT) has granted to Musa (AS) to escape from the army of Firaun. In some reports, it is also the day when Nuh (AS) was saved from the great flood. The grandson of our Prophet (SAW) Al-Hussain was also martyred on this day when facing oppression and tyranny. And, the month of Muharram also marks the new year of the Hijri calendar, which is based on the migration of our Prophet (SAW) from Makkah to Medinah.
There are some similarities between these events. For example, in both cases of Prophet Musa (AS) and Prophet Muhammad (SAW), they were in distress and desperation to escape from the enemy’s army. However, both of them didn’t give up hope in Allah. When Prophet Musa (AS) was chased by the army of Firaun and they were right behind them, Musa (AS) said:
قَالَ كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ
My Lord is with me — He will guide me.
Something similar happened to our Prophet (SAW), when he was in the middle of the Hijrah from Makkah to Medinah, the Prophet (SAW) and Abu Bakr (RA) were hiding in a cave and they could already see the feet of the enemy. They planned and prepared for the escape for a long time, and now they are on the brink of losing everything. Abu Bakr (RA) was very anxious at seeing this, but the Prophet (SAW) told him:
لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا
Don’t be sad, Allah is with us [9:40]
And as we know from the results, Allah protected them from the harm of their enemies and granted them victory, because Allah’s support was with them. Even if in the end, we don’t receive the materialistic and physical victory, when Allah is with us, we have already obtained the real victory with our hearts assured in this world and the Hereafter.
But of course, Allah is not with every single person. There are 3 qualities needed within us to know that Allah is with us. These qualities are mentioned in the Qur’an, where Allah says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
Allah is with those who are conscious of Him (Taqwa) and those who do good (Ihsan). [16:128]
And the other quality is mentioned many times in the Qur’an, in which Allah says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
Allah is with those who are patient.
When someone has:
Taqwa in Allah, which means that he is conscious of Allah and his intentions are purely for the sake of Allah
Ihsan, which means that when someone who is acting good deeds as if he can see Allah and he does the righteous deeds without asking for anything in return
Sabr, which means to put trust in Allah’s decision and accept whatever outcome and result befalls him
And once these 3 qualities are attained, there is nothing in this world to be worried about. When someone has these 3 qualities, we wouldn’t be able to differentiate whether they are undergoing hardship or ease, because they would cry and thank Allah for whatever situation they were put in, they would always turn to Allah, thank Allah, and praise Allah either when they are suffering or enjoying.
And these days remind us of these qualities of the Prophets during their struggles. When we look at the Qur’an, all the stories of the prophets are about their Da’wah and their struggles, the Qur’an doesn’t mention much about the daily lives and comfortable sides of the prophets’ lives, but only the important and relevant ones are selected and described in the Qur’an for us to contemplate. This should remind us that in order to perfect these qualities, Allah is certainly going to test the righteous people with their weaknesses and the things they love the most. Allah says in the Qur’an:
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ
Do you think you will be admitted into Paradise without being tested like those before you? They were afflicted with suffering and adversity and were so ˹violently˺ shaken that ˹even˺ the Messenger and the believers with him cried out, “When will Allah’s help come?” Indeed, Allah’s help is ˹always˺ near.
So let us continue to find inspiration from the stories of the prophets and learn from their struggles. May Allah accept our deeds in this sacred month of Muharram, may Allah accept our fast during the day of Ashura, may Allah make us among those who are patient.
We are now in the month of Muharram, soon after a few days on the 10th day of Muharram, it will be the day of Ashura. The day of Ashura was already significant even before the coming of Islam, even the Quraysh would be fasting on this day. Before Ramadan became obligatory, the Prophet (SAW) would command the Sahaba to fast on the day of Ashura, and only after fasting had been prescribed during the month of Ramadan, fasting on the day of Ashura became optional and encouraged. And there is a huge benefit to fasting on the day of Ashura, as the Prophet (SAW) told us, fasting on the day of Ashura will expiate all the minor sins of the previous year.
The days of Muharram and the day of Ahura mark significant historical events and moments that occurred in the past. Among them, the most well-known is the victory that Allah (SWT) has granted to Musa (AS) to escape from the army of Firaun. In some reports, it is also the day when Nuh (AS) was saved from the great flood. The grandson of our Prophet (SAW) Al-Hussain was also martyred on this day when facing oppression and tyranny. And, the month of Muharram also marks the new year of the Hijri calendar, which is based on the migration of our Prophet (SAW) from Makkah to Medinah.
There are some similarities between these events. For example, in both cases of Prophet Musa (AS) and Prophet Muhammad (SAW), they were in distress and desperation to escape from the enemy’s army. However, both of them didn’t give up hope in Allah. When Prophet Musa (AS) was chased by the army of Firaun and they were right behind them, Musa (AS) said:
قَالَ كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ
My Lord is with me — He will guide me.
Something similar happened to our Prophet (SAW), when he was in the middle of the Hijrah from Makkah to Medinah, the Prophet (SAW) and Abu Bakr (RA) were hiding in a cave and they could already see the feet of the enemy. They planned and prepared for the escape for a long time, and now they are on the brink of losing everything. Abu Bakr (RA) was very anxious at seeing this, but the Prophet (SAW) told him:
لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا
Don’t be sad, Allah is with us [9:40]
And as we know from the results, Allah protected them from the harm of their enemies and granted them victory, because Allah’s support was with them. Even if in the end, we don’t receive the materialistic and physical victory, when Allah is with us, we have already obtained the real victory with our hearts assured in this world and the Hereafter.
But of course, Allah is not with every single person. There are 3 qualities needed within us to know that Allah is with us. These qualities are mentioned in the Qur’an, where Allah says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
Allah is with those who are conscious of Him (Taqwa) and those who do good (Ihsan). [16:128]
And the other quality is mentioned many times in the Qur’an, in which Allah says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
Allah is with those who are patient.
When someone has:
Taqwa in Allah, which means that he is conscious of Allah and his intentions are purely for the sake of Allah
Ihsan, which means that when someone who is acting good deeds as if he can see Allah and he does the righteous deeds without asking for anything in return
Sabr, which means to put trust in Allah’s decision and accept whatever outcome and result befalls him
And once these 3 qualities are attained, there is nothing in this world to be worried about. When someone has these 3 qualities, we wouldn’t be able to differentiate whether they are undergoing hardship or ease, because they would cry and thank Allah for whatever situation they were put in, they would always turn to Allah, thank Allah, and praise Allah either when they are suffering or enjoying.
And these days remind us of these qualities of the Prophets during their struggles. When we look at the Qur’an, all the stories of the prophets are about their Da’wah and their struggles, the Qur’an doesn’t mention much about the daily lives and comfortable sides of the prophets’ lives, but only the important and relevant ones are selected and described in the Qur’an for us to contemplate. This should remind us that in order to perfect these qualities, Allah is certainly going to test the righteous people with their weaknesses and the things they love the most. Allah says in the Qur’an:
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ
Do you think you will be admitted into Paradise without being tested like those before you? They were afflicted with suffering and adversity and were so ˹violently˺ shaken that ˹even˺ the Messenger and the believers with him cried out, “When will Allah’s help come?” Indeed, Allah’s help is ˹always˺ near.
So let us continue to find inspiration from the stories of the prophets and learn from their struggles. May Allah accept our deeds in this sacred month of Muharram, may Allah accept our fast during the day of Ashura, may Allah make us among those who are patient.