FASTING ON THE DAY OF ASHOORA
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                In Bukhari's  Kiatab as-Sawm there are two reports about this topic:

1.         Ibn Umar reports that the Prophet used to fast on the day of Ashoora and also commanded (others to do the same). When the fasting in Ramadhan became wajib he stopped doing that (the fasting on the day of Ashoora).

2.         Ayisha reports that the Quraysh used to fast on the day of Ashoora during the period of jahiliyya (before Islam), so the Prophet of Islam commanded (to do the same) until the fasting in Ramadhan became wajib. Then he said: Fast if you wish, or do not if you wish otherwise.

            Both reports imply that fasting on the day of Ashoora is optional for Muslims.  Some other reports say that actually the Prophet had asked the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashoora because the Jews of Madinah also used to fast on that day (Yaum Kippur). When Ramadhan fast became the law of Shari'a, that was dropped.

There are two considerations in the treatment of this subject:

A. A historical background of the Islamic calendar, and,

B. The difference in FIQH according to various schools of thought in Islam.

THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR

            The months as known to us today (Muharram, Safar, etc.) had been in use for a long time by the Arabs of Hijaz. They were lunar months. However, there was one great difference. The first month used to be Rabi-ul-Awwal and not Muharram. The name(Rabi-ul-Awwal ) implies that it was the month of  the spring season. Because of  those months being lunar, the seasons would change. To counter that, the Arabs used to add an extra month after every four years. So, every four years, they would add an extra month of  Rajab, or that of  Muharram, or another month, depending upon their circumstances and inclinations.

Therefore, in the short run they ran a lunar month, but over a long period of time, they ran a solar calendar. That says that the Ashoora of Jahiliyya was quite different from the Ashoora that we have today.

            When the Prophet of Islam began legislating in Madina, he forbade the adding of an extra month every four years. That freed the Islamic calendar from seasonal dependence. As the months of Rabi-ul-Awwal and Rabi-uth-Thanee had implied spring, the months of Jumada I and II implied months of winter in the past.

            Now the Jews had always had their own calendar. Their Yaum Kippur did not necessarily fall on the Ashoora of the period of Jahiliyya. However, their practice of fasting on Yaum Kippur is current even today, although the shape and form of the fast is different.

            It is true that the Prophet of Islam had accepted Bayt-ul-Muqaddas as the first Qibla. It was changed to Makkah in the second  year of  Hijra, in Madinah. Fasting in Ramadhan was also made law in that same year. We believe that the Muslim historians have got confused in the fast of Yaum Kippur due to that coincidence. 

Historically, the fasting in the month of Ramadhan was also instituted in the second year of Hijra.  The Prophet’s  Hijra had taken place in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. That is very clearly a proof to the fact that only one month of Muharram fell in between the event of Hijra  and the institution of fasting in Ramadhan. So both reports in Bukhari, i.e., Ibn Umar’s saying that "the Prophet used to fast on the day of Ashoora.. ," and  Ayisha’s report that  "the Arabs used to fast on the day of Ashoora in Jahiliyya …,"  lose all credibility. Both these reports appear to be later  fabrications in an effort to reduce the significance of Ashoora as the day of martyrdom of Imam Husayn.

There is no orders from the Prophet about any acts of worship other than the five-times-a-day salat. All other laws were instituted after the Prophet had arrived in Madinah.

If there was such a practice as fasting on the day of Ashoora (or on another day or days) current among the Muslims in the Makkan period which was then replaced by the fasting in Ramadhan, the Qur’an would have mentioned it in so many words. That is proven by the fact that the Qibla was changed in the second year of Hijra and the Qur’an documented it in so many words.

 If you look at the verses of fasting, it appears as a direct one-time commandment --- there is no mention of any past practice of fasting, even though it does mention the practice of fasting during the period of previous prophets:

              It is also true that the Prophet of Islam left some of the practices which were known and current in the period of Jahiliyya as part of Islamic law. But he also constituted some reforms in those old practices. For example, Hajj was practiced in Jahiliyya - the Prophet continued with that but forbade people going round the K'abah stark naked, which was practiced by the Arabs of Jahiliyya.

            The Qur'anic verse imposing the fast of Ramadhan implies that fasting over a period was actually a part of the religious law of some (if not all) of the past prophets:

            Qur'an has not mentioned about the fast of Ashoora. It is strange. Because, the change of Qibla is very clearly mentioned in the Qur'an.

            It is very clear that Qur'an takes this kind of change in law very seriously. So much so that it actually tries to justify it. It, therefore, follows that if there was a change in the law of fasting, Qur'an would have mentioned it some way. Instead, the commandment of fasting as stated above, comes as a direct command, as if that is the first time fasting has been mentioned. That makes the Bukhari reports hard to swallow.

However, Bukhari is a very respected and revered book among Muslims. Reports cannot just be ignored from Bukhari. On the other hand, in spite of the name SAHEEH given to the Bukhari book, not all reports contained in that collection are absolutely correct and accurate.

That brings us to the next topic.

DIFFERENCE IN THE FIQH  OF VARIOUS SCHOOLS

            Among the majority Sunni Muslim group, there are four different schools of law: Hanafee, Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali. There are laws which are the same in all four schools and there are those which are different in them. In some cases the law is diametrically opposite among some schools.

            According to the Shi'a Ithna Ashari school, the law is as stated in the FIQH-E-J'AFARI.

            The law in the four schools of Sunni Islam is mainly based on the hadeeth reports transmitted via one or more Companions of the Prophet and/or by the wives of the Prophet. The law of Fiqh-e-J'afari is based on the reports collected and transmitted by the twelve Imams and Fatima Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet of Islam. This exclusiveness in report  transmission is based on the Shi'a belief that there are fourteen infallible souls who are free from all sins, therefore, from forgetfulness and mistakes (the Prophet of Islam, the twelve Imams, and Fatima Zahra – Alla humma salli alaa Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad).

            In addition to that, the chain of reporters who have brought the reports from the Imams have to be knowledgeable, just and pious. For that an elaborate science of RIJAL has been developed in which biographies of these reporters have been researched thoroughly.

            Thus elaborating upon the law of fasting, the Shi'a scholars have discussed  the subject thoroughly. Here is a short list of books, which have dealt with  it.

1. Baha-ud-Deen Amilee - Risala  fi-s-Sawm.

2. Kashif al-Ghita - Risala fi-s-Siyam

3. Al-Qummi - Kitab as-Sawm

4. Al-Akhbari - Takhlees  al-ahkam fi masail as-Siyam

5. Al-Ansari  - Kitab as-Sawm

6. Muhammad Baqir at-Tabreezi - as-Sawmiyya

Elaborate discussions will be found in the above mentioned books about the fasting on various days in the year, including the wajib fast of the month of Ramadhan.

Fasts, in general have been classified as follows:

(a) WAJIB - compulsory, must be done, if left out without reasonable cause the Muslim commits a sin.

(b) MUSTAHAB - recommended, bring additional blessings and thawab, no sin if left out .

(c) MAKROOH - recommended not done, if done no sin associated with the act.

(d) HARAM - prohibited, must not be done, if done the person commits a sin. (for example, the fasting with the intention of SAWM on the days of two Eids is Haram)

It is logical to ask: who would want to do a MAKROOH fast? It is logical that no one would want to go without food and water if it does not bring Allah's Mercy. We take up this argument a little deeper in the following text.

Most of the scholars of Fiqh-e-J'afari have argued that the fast of the day of Ashoora is MAKROOH, some have gone on to say that it is Haram. All those statements are based on the research done as stated above.

THE DAY OF ASHOORA

            This day has special significance for those Muslims who love, revere and follow the holy Ahlul-Bayt. It is the day on which Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, was butchered at Karbala in 61st year of Hijra with 72 of his companions, in three days of hunger and thirst. A siege was laid on his camp for seven days by an army of 30,000 or more to deny him supplies of any kind.

            To commemorate that great sacrifice, the devotees of Imam Husayn, do not eat or drink anything on the day of Ashoora (without the intention of Sawm) all day. Then they break that fast after the Asr prayer. So, this act of fasting is not  an act of worship of Allah (in which case the Msulims will have to continue with the fast until Maghrib time), but a show of solidarity with Imam Husayn and his companions at Karbala.  However, it is not a wajib act. It is left to the individual's own sense of devotion and reverence.

 THE SHI'A HADEETH REPORTS ON THE SAWM(FAST) OF ASHOORA

            In this part of this article on this topic, we will look at some of the hadeeth reports recorded by the great Shi'a scholars of the source. There are four all-time greats in all the books that are available from the Shi'a muhadditheen:

1. AL-KAFI   by Muhammad bin Yaqoob al-Kulaynee (d. 329 Hijra) - in three volumes:

                    (a) Usool

                    (b) Fur'oo

2. Man la yahdhuru-hul faqeeh by Shaykh Sadooq (d. 381 hijra)

3. TAHZEEB, and,

4. AL-ISTIBSAAR both by Shaykh Toosi (d.460 hijra)

Given below are the reports in two of the books.

Kulaynee in his Fur'oo al-Kafi has six reports in the Kitab-us-Siyam in the chapter exclusive to Ashoora:

(1) The fifth Imam Muhammad Baqir (Alla humma salli ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad) says that the Prophet used to fast on the day of Ashoora until fasting in Ramadhan was prescribed.

(2) Both the fifth Imam and the sixth Imam said: Do not fast on the day of Ashoora and on the day of Arafa while in Makkah, Madinah or in your home town and in any town.

(3) The sixth Imam J’far as-Sadiq (Alla humma salli ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad ) was asked about the fast on the day of Ashoora. He said:Fasting was stopped (matrook)on that day after Ramadhan fast was instituted. And what is matrook, is bid'a. Then the RAVI says:I asked him whether his father (the fifth Imam) would say the same thing, He replied, yes. He (the sixth Imam) added that there is nothing mentioned in the book of Allah about the fasting on the day of Ashoora nor is it in the Sunnah(of the Prophet), except in the sunnah of Aale-Ziyad, who had killed Husayn bin Ali.

(4) When the eighth Imam Ali ar-Ridha (Alla humma salli ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad )was asked about it he replied: It is a fast (taken) from Ibn Marjanah. It was the day when Aal-e-Ziyad took a vow of fasting if they were successful in killing Husayn bin Ali. It is a day of MUSEEBAT for the family of the Prophet and therefore, for all Muslims. Do not fast on this day and do not wish for prosperity (baraka) on that day. And Monday is also a bad day, for on that day Allah did the QABDH-I-ROOH of the Prophet of Islam. Only the enemies of Muhammad and Aale-Muhammad celebrate on those days. On the day of Ashoora Husayn bin Ali was killed and Ibn Marjana celebrated that. It was a day of calamity for Aal-e-Muhammad. Anyone who fasts on this day and asks for prosperity on this day Allah will make his heart crooked and he will be raised (on the day of judgement) with those who made it their sunnah.

(5) The sixth Imam  was asked about it. He replied: Whoever fasts on that day with the hope and expectation of prosperity and blessings, his place is in Fire.

(6) This is the longest report in this chapter. It basically gives the same information. The day of Ashoora is a day of calamity on the family of the Prophet. Husayn bin Ali was surrounded by his enemies on that day, he was denied supplies by a siege and was killed brutally. His enemies celebrated on that day by fasting. Anyone who fasts on this day with the hope of prosperity, will be with the enemies of Muhammad and Aal-e-Muhammad, His heart will become crooked and Shaytan will become his partner.

Let us now look at the reports in the Kitab-us-Siyam of Toosi's Al-Istibsar. There are seven reports in the chapter exclusively dedicated to the fast of Ashoora.

(1) , (2) & (3): The three reports briefly state that the prophet fasted on the day of Ashoora, and that a fast on this day becomes an expiation for one's sins.

(4) The sixth imam says: Do not fast on the day of Ashoora, neither on the day of Arafa at Makkah or at Madinah or in your home town, or in any other land.

(5) The fifth Imam was asked about it and he said: This fast was abrogated after Ramadhan fast became wajib. And what is matrook is bid'a. There is nothing about it (fast of Ashoora) in the book of Allah neither in the Sunnah (of the Prophet) except in the sunnah of Aal-e-Ziyad (in connection with the killing of Husayn bin Ali -Alla humma salli ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad).

(6) This is a report from the eighth Imam Ali ar-Ridha(Alla humma salli ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad). This is exactly the same report from the same chain of reporters as number (4) above from Al-Kafi.

(7) This report is similar to the one above and adds that whoever fasts on this day has made a mistake and has committed a sin (athama wa akhta'a).

DISCUSSION

            The first thing that is apparent from these reports mentioned above is the consistency between the two books. Even though, the two authors lived nearly 130 years apart from each other they kept attached to the school of Ahlul-Bayt so ardently and faithfully.

            The other thing that is very apparent is that both authors have faithfully recorded both kinds of hadeeth reports, i.e., those supporting the view that fast of Ashoora is recommended as well as those condemning it. For this some background is needed. Most of the Shi'a scholars lived under strict watch of the governments of their time. They had to work prudently when it came to express their opinions. At the same time, they had the duty to propagate the correct rulings according to the school of Ahlul-Bayt. They therefore, made it their practice to record both kinds of reports in their writings. The first kind they would take from the popular knowledge among the masses. The second kind would come from the strict line of disciples of the school of Ahlul-Bayt. And it was these second kind of reports which carried the true teachings of the Ahlul-Bayt. The only revealing thing was the chain of reporters. That is why the science of RIJAL became so important. Sometimes good reports have been side tracked due to a gap or an inconsistency in the chain of reporters. That was the price that had to be paid for IHTIYAT (precaution). But this way the law of Shari'a according to the school of Ahlul-Bayt has survived through thick and thin.

            However, in the TAWDHEEH-UL-MASA'IL of the late Ayatullah Khumaynie, the late Ayatullah Abul Qasim AL-Khui and that of  Ayatullah Syed Ali Husaini Seestani, it is stated that the fast of Ashoora is MAKROOH.

In view of the commandment uttered by the eighth Imam Ali ar-Ridha (Alla humma salli ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad), some of the Shi'a scholars have ruled that the fast on the day of Ashoora (with the intention of SAWM) is haram.

The bottom line is: even if it is a MAKROOH fast, why and who would want to do this fast? What is the point in going without food and water for a day when it does not bring any additional thawaab. One would understand the reason for a fast on the day of Ashoora if one had taken a vow for that or one had another wajib fast to fulfill. Other than that, there is really no solid ground to support the notion of a fast on the day of Ashoora.

If it were such a blessed day for fasting, the Qur’an would not have gone by silently over that matter.

All the efforts in emphasizing this fast, in our opinion, are for one purpose, that is to undermine the significance of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn on that day.

May Allah give guidance to all of us.

Syed-Mohsin Naquvi