Ashura Day: Its Significance and Religious Practices

Ashura Day is the name given to the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, and is considered the most significant day of Muharram, one of the four sacred months. Known as one of the few times throughout the year when “prayers are never rejected,” this day is also recognized as a period during which many significant historical events have taken place. This article discusses the definition of Ashura Day, its religious basis, its virtues, and the acts of worship recommended on this day.

What Is Ashura Day?

Ashura Day is the tenth day of the month of Muharram according to the Islamic calendar. The month of Muharram is one of the four sacred months mentioned in the Holy Quran, which are to be revered. For this reason, Ashura Day—the tenth day of Muharram—is regarded as an exceptional day both historically and spiritually.

What Are the Religious Bases for Ashura Day?

The Sacred Months in the Holy Quran

The sanctity of the sacred months, including the month of Muharram, is established by verse 36 of Surah At-Tawbah:

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ

Translation: “On the day He created the heavens and the earth, according to Allah’s decree, the number of months in Allah’s sight is twelve, four of which are sacred months. This is the correct reckoning. Do not wrong yourselves during those months.” (At-Tawbah, 9:36)

The Day of Ashura in the Noble Hadiths

In hadith sources, the Night of Ashura is mentioned as one of the special times when prayers are answered:

“There are five times when prayers offered during these periods are never rejected: Friday night, the tenth night of Muharram (Ashura), the fifteenth night of Sha’ban (Laylat al-Bara’ah), the night of Eid al-Fitr, and the night of Eid al-Adha.”

It is also reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said the following regarding the sacred months during his Farewell Hajj:

“Undoubtedly, the number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve… four of these are the sacred months. These are, in succession, Dhu al-Qa’dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and the month of Rajab of the Mudar tribe.”

What Is Ashura Day and What Are the Virtues of the Month of Muharram?

The sources state that acts of obedience and worship performed during the sacred months are rewarded many times over. While a good deed performed in other months is rewarded tenfold, it is stated that this ratio increases even further during these blessed periods. Attention is drawn to the fact that sincere repentance and seeking forgiveness are accepted during this month, and sins are forgiven.

During the pre-Islamic era, the Arabs would postpone the observance of Muharram by shifting the order of the sacred months through a practice known as “nesiy.” It is reported that in his sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (peace be upon him) announced that the months had returned to their original order as determined by Allah.

What Religious Practices Are Performed on Ashura Day?

The following acts of worship are highlighted in the sources for Ashura Day and the first ten days of the month of Muharram:

• Fasting: The valid basis for the Ashura fast is that our Prophet (peace be upon him) observed fasting in Medina on this day —because it was the day Allah saved Moses (peace be upon him) and the Children of Israel—and upon seeing this, he said, “We are closer to Moses (peace be upon him) than you are,” and thus observed the fast and recommended that others do so as well (as narrated by Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him). In Hanafi jurisprudence, the Ashura fast is considered a supererogatory (mendûb) act, and it is recommended to observe it together with the day before or after (the 9th–10th or 10th–11th of Muharram) to avoid resembling the Jews. Additionally, there are narrations stating that Prophet Noah’s (peace be upon him) ark reached safety on this day.
• Praying: Since it has been announced that prayers offered on the Night of Ashura will not be rejected, it is recommended to offer sincere supplications at this time.
• Remembrance of God and repentance: Frequently remembering God and engaging in acts of praise and seeking forgiveness are described as behaviors in keeping with the spirit of the month of Muharram.
• Good deeds and charity: It is said that charitable acts performed during these months are rewarded many times over; caring for the poor is considered particularly important in this context.

When Is Ashura Day Celebrated?

Ashura Day falls on the tenth day of the month of Muharram in every Hijri year. Since the Hijri calendar lags behind the solar year by approximately 10–11 days, the date of Ashura Day in the Gregorian calendar changes every year. For the current date, one must consult Hijri calendar sources.

Sources

• The Holy Quran, Surah At-Tawbah, Verse 36
• Dürretü’n-Nâsihîn, relevant sermon texts (sections on the sacred months and the Day of Ashura)