Dec 2, 2011
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
‘Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram. On this day Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fasted in Makkah with Quraish. When He migrated to àl-Madinah, he found the Jews fasting on this day. He continued fasting on that day and ordered the Muslims to fast too. Afterward Allah legislated the fasting during the Month of Ramadan. Then, the fast of ‘Ashura became a supererogatory fast. But it is likable for a Muslim to fast on this day. If one fasts on this day, it is better to fast the 9th of Muharram also to oppose the Jews.
The pieces of evidence for this point are as follow:
- Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from ‘Aisha () that she said: “The tribe of Quraish used to fast on the day of ‘Ashura in the pre-Islamic period, and Allah’s Apostle too, used to fast on that day. When he came to al-Madinah, he fasted on that day and ordered others to fast too. Later, when fasting of the Month of Ramadah was prescribed, he (the Prophet) said: “Whoever wishes may fast -‘Ashura- and whoever wishes may leave it” .
- Ibn Abbas related : When the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah, he found (the Jews) fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ (i.e. 10th of Muharram). They used to say: ‘This is a great day on which Allah saved Moses and drowned the folk of Pharoah. Moses observed the fast on that day as a sign of gratitude to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I am closer to Moses than them”. So, he observed the fast (on this day) and ordered the Muslim to fast on it“. [al-Bukhari and Muslim].
- It is reported in Sahihain (Bukhari and Muslim) from Ibn ‘Abbas, he said: “I never saw the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) seeking to fast on a day more (preferable to him) than this day, (the day of ‘Ashura) or this month, i.e. the month of Ramadan. Imam al-Tirmizi narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I hope from Allah that the fast on the day of ‘Ashura atones for the sins of the preceding year.” Imam Ahmad narrated that “it atones the sins of two years, past and subsequent year”.
- Imam Muslim narrated from Ibn Abbas, he said: “When the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fasted on the day of Ashura and commanded that it should be observed as a fast, they (his Companions) said to him: Messenger of Allah, it is a day which the Jews and Christians hold in high esteem. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: When the next year comes, God willing, we would observe fast on the 9th . But the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died before the advent of the next year“.
This is the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) regarding to ‘Ashura. His Companions and their followers went on this way. They have not distinguished this day by any practice except fasting.
But many acts done by some ignorant Muslims which “deform the face of Islam” have no evidence from Qur’an and Hadith. These acts include celebrating on this day, slapping one’s face, tearing of one’s clothes, using swords and blood-shedding. None of these acts have any authentic relevance to ‘Ashura, but are among the innovations and bad deeds. The enemies of Islam use them to misrepresent Islam .
Allah knows best.
Dec 2, 2011
From an Islamic perspective, there is absolutely no compulsion on people to embrace it. People have always entered Islam willingly. The historical presence of non-Muslim minorities living among Muslims is evidence of tolerance in Islaam.
Islam spread in the most populated Muslim countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and within Africa through contact between the natives and Muslim travellers and merchants, who brought with them not only goods, but also Islamic values such as straight dealing, honesty and generosity.
The impact of Muslims upon these communities was tremendous. In Singapore, near the port where the Arab traders used to land, the residents say that the natives used to prefer to buy from Muslim merchants because they expected good treatment and fair prices.
As was the case in most of the areas to which Islam spread, peaceful and voluntary reversion was far more important than conquest and force in spreading the faith in Southeast Asia. Almost everywhere in the islands of the region, trading contacts paved the way for reversion. Muslim merchants and sailors introduced local peoples to the ideas and rituals of the new faith and impressed on them how much of the known world had already been reverted. The first areas to be won to Islam in the last decades of the 13th century were several small port centres on the northern coast of Sumatra. From these ports, the religion spread in the following centuries across the Strait of Malacca to Malaya.
It is unfair to compare the spread of Islaam in Asia and Africa with the spread of Islaam in the West, and blame Muslims for not effectively promoting their religion in the West. Unlike the modern western world, the Asians’ and Africans’ history was free from hostility and enmity against Muslims, and therefore, their reversion to Islam was natural and easy.
Could Da’wah Fail?
Allaah will guide, through Da’wah (Islamic propagation), those who are worthy and qualified for His Mercy; those who have good hearts and are sincerely searching for the truth. He will turn away from it those who do not deserve His mercy; those who chose to divert from His way. This is decreed according to His perfect Wisdom and Knowledge.
The success of Da’wah is guaranteed as a fulfilment of Allaah’s promises; He Says (what means): “… And who is more truthful than Allaah…”[Quran: 4:87]
- Allaah promised to make the way for Da’wah easy for Prophet Muhammad salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and his followers alike; He Says (what means): “And We will ease you toward ease.” [Quran: 87:8]
- Allaah also promised to preserve the Quran, His last guidance to mankind. It is forever protected from any sort of distortion, change, or modification; He Says (what means): “Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Quran], and indeed, We will be its guardian.” [Quran: 15:9]
- Allaah promised to make Da’wah prevail and reach every place on earth, so that all mankind will be aware that Islaam is the truth from their Lord; He Says (what means): “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth…” [Quran: 41:53]
- Prophet Muhammad assured us that Islam is the religion of the future and will spread all over the world when he said: “Indeed, Islam will reach every place that the day and night reach. There is no house (in city or desert) on the Earth except that Islam will enter it.” [Ahmad]
- Due to all of these reasons, Da’wah can never fail; that is why Prophet Muhammad expected his followers to outnumber the followers of other prophets; He said: “All of the prophets before me were given (tangible) miracles, due to which, people believed in them. But the miracle that has been given to me is indeed a revelation that Allaah revealed to me [i.e., Quran and Sunnah]. So I hope, on the Day of Judgement, my followers will outnumber the followers of other prophets.” [Al-Bukhaari]
In order for Da’wah to be effective, the caller must have sincere intention and, above all, a strong sense of piety. In order to share Islam with people, we must develop strong relationships within our Ummah (Muslim community) to support these efforts with Da’wah centres and well-written material. Each of us has a gift from Allaah and we should not ignore our obligation in fear of rejection or failure, but join together to contribute our talents and resources to share the gift of Islaam.
