Narrated By 'Aisha : Quraish used to fast on the day of 'Ashura' in the Pre-lslamic period, and Allah's Apostle too, used to fast on that day. When he came to Medina, he fasted on that day and ordered others to fast, too. Later when the fasting of the month of Ramadan was prescribed, he gave up fasting on the day of 'Ashura' and it became optional for one to fast on it or not. (BukhariVol 3, Book 31. Fasting. Hadith 220) Narrated By Humaid bin 'Abdur Rahman : That he heard Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan on the day of 'Ashura' during the year he performed the Hajj, saying on the pulpit, "O the people of Medina! Where are your Religious Scholars? I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'This is the day of 'Ashura'. Allah has not enjoined its fasting on you but I am fasting it. You have the choice either to fast or not to fast (on this day).'" (BukhariVol 3, Book 31. Fasting. Hadith 221) Narrated By Ibn 'Abbas : When the Prophet arrived at Medina he found that the Jews observed fast on the day of 'Ashura'. They were asked the reason for the fast. They replied, "This is the day when Allah caused Moses and the children of Israel to have victory over Pharaoh, so we fast on this day as a sign of glorifying it." Allah's Apostle said, "We are closer to Moses than you." Then he ordered that fasting on this day should be observed. (BukhariVol 5, Book 58. Merits Of The Helpers In Madinah (Ansaar). Hadith 279) Narrated By 'Aisha : During the Pre-lslamic Period of ignorance the Quraish used to observe fasting on the day of 'Ashura', and the Prophet himself used to observe fasting on it too. But when he came to Medina, he fasted on that day and ordered the Muslims to fast on it. When (the order of compulsory fasting in) Ramadan was revealed, fasting in Ramadan became an obligation, and fasting on 'Ashura' was given up, and who ever wished to fast (on it) did so, and whoever did not wish to fast on it, did not fast. (BukhariVol 6, Book 60. Prophetic Commentary On The Qur'an (Tafseer Of The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)). Hadith 031) Narrated By Ibn Abbas : When Allah's Apostle arrived at Medina, he found the Jews observing the fast on the day of 'Ashura' (10th of Muharram). The Prophet asked them (about it) and they replied, "This is the day when Moses became victorious over Pharaoh." The Prophet said (to the Muslims), "We are nearer to Moses than they, so fast on this day." (BukhariVol 6, Book 60. Prophetic Commentary On The Qur'an (Tafseer Of The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)). Hadith 261) Abdullah b. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported that (the Arabs of) pre-Islamic days used to observe fast on the day of Ashura and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed it and the Muslims too (observed it) before fasting in Ramadan became obligatory. But when it became obligatory, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: 'Ashura is one of the days of Allah, so he who wished should observe fast and he who wished otherwise should abandon it. (BukhariBook 6. Fasting. Hadith 2504) Hakam b. al-'Araj reported: I went to Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be Pleased with both of them) and he was reclining using his mantle as a pillow near the fountain of Zamzam. I said to him: Tell me about fasting on Ashura. He said: When you see the new moon of Muharram then count the (days) and observe fast on the 9th. I said to him: Is it how the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed the fast? He said: Yes. (MuslimBook 6. Fasting. Hadith 2526) Ibn 'Abbas reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) fasted on the day of 'Ashura and commanded that it should he 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 (may peace be upon him) said: When the next year comes, God willing, we would observe fast on the 9th But the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) died before the advent of the next year. (MuslimBook 6. Fasting. Hadith 2528) Narrated By AbuQatadah : A man came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and said: How do you fast, Apostle of Allah? The Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) became angry at what he said. When Umar observed this (his anger), he said: We are satisfied with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet. We seek refuge in Allah from the anger of Allah, and from the anger of His Apostle. Umar continued to repeat these words till his anger cooled down. He then asked: Apostle of Allah, what is the position of one who observes a perpetual fast? He replied: May he not fast or break his fast. Musaddad said in his version: He has neither fasted nor broken his fast. The narrator, Ghaylan, doubted the actual wordings. He asked: What is the position of one who fasts two days and does not fast one day? He said: Is anyone able to do that? He asked: What is the position of one who fasts every second day (i.e. fasts one day and does not fasts the next day)? He (the Prophet) said: This is the fast that David observed. He asked: Apostle of Allah, what is the position of one who fasts one day and breaks it for two days? He replied: I wish I were given the power to observe that. Then the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: The observance of three days' fast every month and of one Ramadan to the other (i.e. the fast of Ramadan every year) is (equivalent to) a perpetual fast. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming year, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura' may atone for the sins of the preceding year. (Abu Dawud Book 7. Fasting. Hadith 2419) Narrated By One of the wives of the Prophet : Hunaydah ibn Khalid narrated from his wife on the authority of one of the wives of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) who said: The Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, Ashura' and three days of every month, that is, the first Monday (of the month) and Thursday. (Abu DawudBook 7. Fasting. Hadith 2431)
