What is Ashura and should I fast on it?
Yes, fasting Ashura is a recommended sunnah. Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year. It marks the day Allah saved Prophet Musa (Moses) and the Children of Israel from Pharaoh. Fasting it isn't obligatory, but the Prophet ﷺ said it expiates the sins of the previous year.
What Ashura is about
When the Prophet ﷺ came to Medina, he saw the Jews fasting on Ashura. They told him it was the day Allah rescued the Children of Israel from their enemy, so Moses fasted it. He said, "We have more claim over Moses than you," and he fasted it and told the Muslims to fast it too (Sahih al-Bukhari 2004).
For converts from a Jewish or Christian background, this is a beautiful link: Muslims honor Moses as a prophet of Allah. See Do I have to believe in all the prophets to become Muslim?
The reward of fasting it
Asked about fasting the day of Ashura, the Prophet ﷺ said he hoped from Allah that it would atone for the sins of the preceding year (Sahih Muslim 1162). Scholars say this covers minor sins.
Fast the 9th too
When the Companions mentioned that Jews and Christians also honored the day, the Prophet ﷺ said that the next year, God willing, he would fast the 9th as well, but he passed away before then (Sahih Muslim 1134). So most scholars recommend:
- Best: fast the 9th and the 10th.
- Also good: the 10th and 11th, if you missed the 9th.
- Still rewarded: the 10th alone. Some scholars call fasting it alone mildly disliked, others see no problem.
Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, Ashura moves about 11 days earlier each year. Check your local mosque's calendar for the start of Muharram.
Ashura and the Shia commemoration
Ashura is also the day Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ, was killed at Karbala in 680 CE. Shia Muslims mark it as a day of mourning with gatherings and remembrance, while Sunni Muslims mainly mark it by fasting. Both groups honor Husayn. You may see both traditions in your city, and it's good to understand them respectfully. See Do I have to choose Sunni or Shia to become Muslim?
- Ashura is the 10th of Muharram, the day Allah saved Moses.
- Fasting it is sunnah and expiates the previous year's sins.
- Fasting the 9th and 10th together is recommended.
- It isn't obligatory, so skipping it isn't a sin.
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