Concerning the mistaken doctrine of those who maintain that the day of ‘Ashura
should be regarded as a day of tragic misfortune.
[Excerpt from Ghunya lit Taalibi Tariqal Haqq:
Sufficient Provision for the Seeker of the Path of Truth]
Sayyidina Shayhk 'Abdul Qadir al Jilani al Baghdadi Radhi Allahu 'anhu
Certain people have been harshly critical of those who fast on this glorious day, and of the exaltation traditionally held to be its due. They maintain that it is not permissible to observe it as a day of fasting, on the grounds that it is the day on which al-Husain ibn 'Ali (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu and with his father) was slain. They state their case in the following terms:
"What is right and proper, on that day, is that the sense of calamitous loss should be experienced by the general mass of the people, since it is the day on which his tragic death occurred. But you prefer to celebrate it as the day of happiness and joy. You declare it to be the day for treating one's dependents with special generosity, for much liberal expenditure, and for making charitable donations [Sadaqa] to the poor, the weak and the needy. Yet this is not the kind of respect that is rightfully due to al-Husain (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu) from the community of the Muslims."
Whoever makes this statement is in error, and his doctrine [madhhab] is repugnant and unsound. We can dismiss it as such, because Allah (Exalted is He) chose martyrdom [shahada] for the grandson of our Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim) on the most noble of all the days, the most glorious of them, the most majestic of them, and the most exalted of them in His sight. In so doing, His purpose was to grant him increased elevation in His degrees and His tokens of special favor [karamat], over and above the special favor he already enjoyed. By way of martyrdom [shahada], He caused him to reach the stations of the rightly guided Caliphs who died as martyrs [al-Khulafa' ar-rashideen ash-shuhada'].
If it were permissible to observe the day of his death as the day of tragic loss [ mu~Iba], it would actually make more sense to choose Monday for such observance, since it was on a Monday that Allah (Exalted is He) took away our Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim). It was likewise on a Monday that Abu Bakr, the Champion of Truth [as siddiq] (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu), was taken away [by the Lord].
As reported by Hisham ibn 'Urwa, [the Prophet's wife] 'A'isha (may Allah be well pleased with her) once said:
"[My father] Abu Bakr (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu) once asked me: 'On which day of the week did the Prophet (Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim) complete his earthly life [tuwuffiya]?' 'It was on a Monday,' I replied. He then said (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu):
'I hope to die on that same day of the week.' And it was in fact on a Monday that he died (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu)."
The loss of Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim) and the loss of Abu Bakr (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu) are more prodigious than the loss of anyone else, yet people have agreed on the honorable status of Monday, on the excellent merit of observing it as a day of fasting, and that good deeds performed thereon are presented for review on high. On Thursday, also, the good deeds of the servants [of the Lord] are raised up on high. By the same token, the day of 'Ashura' should not be observed as the day of tragic misfortune.
Besides, there are no better grounds for observing the day of 'Ashura as the day of tragic misfortune, than for choosing to observe it as the day of happiness and joy, for all the reasons we have mentioned and discussed above, including:
- The fact that Allah (Exalted is He) delivered his Prophets (peace be upon them) from their enemies on that day.
- The fact that, on that day, He destroyed their unbelieving foes, such as Pharaoh and his people, as well as others.
- The fact that, on that day, Allah (Exalted is He) created the heavens and the earth, and all things noble, as well as Adam (peace be upon him) and more besides.
- The fact that (Exalted is He) has prepared, for those who devote that day to fasting, a plentiful reward and an abundant bestowal, the expiation of sins and the purification of bad deeds.
'Ashura' has thus come to be on a par with the rest of the noble days, such as the Two Festivals [al- 'Idain], [Friday] the Day of the Congregation [al-jumu 'a], the Day of 'Arafa, and so on. Moreover, if it had ever been permissible to observe this day as the day of tragic misfortune, the Companions [Sahaba] and the Successors [Tabi'un] (may Allah be well pleased with them all) would have observed it as such, because they were more closely in touch with it than we are, and better qualified to understand its true significance. In actual fact, as we know from traditional reports about them, they used to urge people to treat their dependents with special generosity on that day, and to observe it as a day of fasting. To cite one example, al Hasan [al Basri (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) is reported as having said:
"Fasting on the day of 'Ashura' is an obligatory religious duty [faridha]."
[The Caliph] 'Ali (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu) used to command its observance as a day of fasting. 'A'isha (may Allah be well pleased with her) once asked some people: "Who commanded you to fast on the day of 'Ashura'?" When they replied: "’Ali (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu)," she said: "Of all those [Companions] who are still alive, he has the best knowledge of the Sunna [the exemplary practice of the Prophet (Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim)]."
'Ali (Radhi Allahu ‘anhu) is also reported as having said: "Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim) once said:
"'If someone spends the night of 'Ashura' in vigilant worship, Allah (Exalted is He) will let him live as long as he wishes."'
This surely goes to prove the falsehood of the doctrine propounded by the speaker quoted above. Of course, only Allah (Exalted is He) is All-Knowing [ wa' llahu-ta' ala-A 'lam].