Happy Ashura 1433 H

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Please recite salawat for prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the messenger of the God and for his family and companions, thank you.

Tomorrow will be Ashura observation for our Shi'ite brothers who commemorate the death of our beloved Imam Hussein r.a. I don't know how they would observe it but I had been told that matam or flagellation with knives and chain is haram by the Shi'ite scholars like the honorable Sayyid Ali Khamenei and Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah.

As for me as an individual, I would observe it to commemorate our brethren of the past, the Children of Israel who were saved by the God from the tyranny of Pharaoh in Egypt through His miracle where He commands the sea to split open for His messenger and prophet, Moses a.s and His people to walk through. I had begin the fast since today, because today is Monday which is also a normal fasting service day for Him. 

I actually do not recommend this fast to friends or brothers and sisters unless if everyone is free and has no work to do so everyone can fast. I had wrongly told a respective brother about the day and fasting as I am not sure the term they use for sunnah and wajib. Just to tell him that it is a voluntary deed not an obligatory one and it is one of a prophetic tradition. I think it is better for brethren who are busy to recite the Quran or listening to Quran during the gap time that they have. Don't burden ourselves because this is only a sunnah. I observe fasts to ask His forgiveness on me and wishing to be released from being harmed by the duniya (worldly matters and affairs). Just a humble sacrifice for Him from a lowly servant.

How do I get the source for this? First, I check it in the Bukhari Hadith that I keep with me because I still have no time to memorize hadiths despite of my ambition after I finished my degree to be a Quran and Sunnah scholar at least for my self T T

The hadiths came from our mother Aishah r.a report which says: "the Quraish Arabs used to fast on the day of Ashura in the days of ignorance and the messenger of the God, Muhammad s.a.w too used to observe fast on that day. When prophet Muhammad s.a.w came to Medina al-Munawwara, he also observed the fast during the 10th of Muharram and ordered others to observe the fast. Later, when the command from the God was revealed about the fast of Ramadan, prophet Muhammad s.a.w gave up the fasting of 10th Muharram. It became optional for ones to fast or to leave it." (Book of Fasting, Chapter 43; pg. 457) 

Second hadith came from Ibnu Abbas r.a: "Prophet Muhammad s.a.w came to the Medina and he saw the Jews were fasting on the 10th of Muharram (according to lunar calender). He asked them. They replied to him: "This is an auspicious day where the God rescued the Children of Israel from His enemy. Prophet Moses a.s observed the fast on this day. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w replied: "We have more claim on Moses a.s. than you. So prophet Muhammad s.a.w observed fast on the day and ordered others to also fast on the day." (Book of Fasting, Chapter 44; pg. 457)  

As far as we know, prophet Muhammad s.a.w is a descent of prophet Abraham and the Quraish are also the descents of prophet Abraham a.s as well. Some of Abrahamic traditions had actually being practiced by the Quraish Arabs despite of being idolaters during the age of ignorance because they were not totally ignorant. They were deflected from the prophetic path because of foreign influence. The trace of patriarchs' teachings could still be traced in their life. We learned this during i'dadi (beginner) level in madrasah. I still remember the teachings where my sirah (Islamic history) teacher from Egypt had forced me to memorize the whole pages of the narration about prophet Abraham a.s and prophet Ismael a.s in Arabic. 

Second source that I get is from other Islamic bodies regarding the validity of acts of worship performed, other scholar sources or from other brethren blogs who provide information regarding Quran and Sunnah. So, brothers and sisters, we are actually helping each other. I thank you for your help though some of you write in Malay. I will try to write in other languages that I know as well and make sure to spread His Mercy to others too.

Al-'Izz bin Abd al-Salam r.a mentioned that: "Times and places may be given preferred status in two ways, either temporal or spiritual (religious). With regard to the latter, this is because the God bestows His generosity on His servants at those times or in those places, by giving greater rewards for deeds done, such as giving a greater reward for fasting in Ramadan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the day of Ashura, the virtue of which is due to the God's Generosity and Kindness towards His servants on that day..." (Qawaa'id al-Ahkaam, chapter 1 page 38). 

A hadith reported by Muslim When the messenger of the God fasted on the 10th of Muharram and commanded our brethren of the past to fast as well. They said: "O messenger of the God! It is a day that the Jews and Christians honor." Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said: "If I live to see the next year, His Will, we will fast on the ninth day of Muharram too." But it so happened that prophet Muhammad s.a.w returns to His Mercy before the next year to come."  

Al-Shaafa'i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaaq and others said: "It is mustahabb (recommended) to fast in both of the ninth and the tenth of Muharram since prophet Muhammad s.a.w intended to fast in the ninth of Muharram. The intention of fasting in the ninth is to make it different from the Jews and Christians who limit their fast only in the 10th day of Muharram. This report was reported again by Ibnu Abbas. And as to say, the fast of 10th Muharram is voluntary and not obligatory as Ramadan. Everyone who intends to fast may fast on Monday (9th) and Tuesday (10th), or Tuesday (10th) and Wednesday (11th). It helps to clean minor sins, this is according of Fatawa al-Kubra in the fifth part by Ibnu Taimiyyah. 

My Yemeni-Hadrami Jew brother in Israel is also fasting but I am not sure how many days they are fasting. I had checked with the Jewish religious authority site and it shows that their passover had already happened. I guess he perhaps is following the lunar calender like we do and event in lunar calender may change every year. 

My Tanakh (Old Testament) in the book of Sifr Khuruj (Exodus) mentioned in chapter 14th about the event on how prophet Moses a.s and Children of Israel went out from Egypt from verses 1-31. My Quran mentions this event in Surah Ta-Ha verse 1-98. I always recite this surah during the 10th of Muharram. I heard some Christians or perhaps Christians by ancestry or name talking whether Muslim are celebrating Passover or respecting Moses the prophet? My answer to you people, yes! We celebrate and honor Moses a.s just like we honor Jesus the Christ and others who are mentioned in our scripture (the Quran). That's why we do not call names to these people like people in the West do because we have Faith. Just because we don't call it as Passover in English does not mean that we do not celebrate it or performing thanksgiving to Him.

I read Bible everyday here though other Muslim brethren or perhaps Christians (by name) do not do this because Quran alone is a boundless source of knowledge for Muslim or perhaps Bible is a heavy and boring book for Christians (by name) or perhaps some people might use scriptures as a pretext for their worldly goals. We human have limited time and space to cover everything so begin now little by little no matter if you are a Muslim or of any faith. Stop baseless hatred and check where does this come from? Try to open up the heart with prayers and the light of ruhul qudus (holy spirit). Check out what happened to Pharaoh in Surah Ta-Ha verse 1-98 and Exodus 14:1-31 during and after his discourse with prophet Moses a.s? What happened to his heart?

   

Urmm, my advise to myself and others who coincidentally passing by... Sins and crimes of this month is counted as serious sins and crimes so we must try to avoid evil. There are four sacred months which are sanctified by the God and they are Dzulqa'idah, Dzulhijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. These four sacred months are different from Ramadan in term of acts of worship like fasting because fasting is obligatory during Ramadan. The four months are mentioned in Surah al-Tawbah verse 36. In Muharram, we avoid quarreling or anything which leads us to fighting and enmity. In all of the months lies the commandment for us to do charity (worship) and to avoid evil and crime (sins). 

I wish that this benefit everyone if not covering all of the things but at least little things. Express our love to prophet Muhammad s.a.w with salawat begging the Lord to be in contact with him and his family and his companions. Pray for brothers and sisters to always be in love and linked with His Love and Mercy. Happy Ashura and Happy Passover (Moses and Children of Israel passing the Red Sea) to those who follow lunar calender. 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Happy New Year 1433 H

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Despite of feeling anxious because of the thesis and classes right now, I am still trying to approach the God our Lord and dearly Friend. I wish that the God listens to my prayers and releases me from this worldly torments which trying to harm my heart. Muharram is the month where we are forbidden to act with unlawful acts such as waging war or quarrelling. Usually in Muharram I would try to fast as many days as I can but this is not obligatory! 

Last time when I talked with brother Eidan, we also share some traditions among us. Brother Eidan is not a Muslim anymore and he is a Jew of Hadrami Arab descent of Johore state as he had chosen to follow his mum's religion. I am so sad because last time I could talk with him about my anxiety and asking him to pray for me though we are of different Shariah (Way) since I also have the faith in the prophethood of Moses (as) the prophet. Now we had lost the contact. I always feel him like a mirror to myself. He also feels the same when we talked to each other. We share similarities in term that we do not have many friends, we are of the same paternal ancestry, we share some points of traditions inherited from ancestors and prophets, and most of all I could not mingle well with people around because of some differences due to past experience that always made me feel down and low-estimating myself just like him while he was the citizen of this country. 

Now, brother Eidan is not in the line anymore because he has to serve his country and I am actually very angry with his country because forcing my friend and a brother to serve the country at a young age and too bad that I could not hang out with him when he was in this country. I actually feel that nobody could accept myself too just like his experience but I am not a Jew but a Muslim who share the same faith and scripture with other nations here. I always think again whether my sins are actually harming me? I was taught not to blame anyone but only myself if anything wrong happened to me. I tried to ask forgiveness from the God and always questioning my faith to Him when I am in tribulations like now. 

Each time we meet new friends and people, but each time we also will go our separate ways when the time reaches us. My seniors had also departed from me. My colleagues had also departed from me. I had already lost contact with Amir whom was my close friend and classmate. He is also my long-lasting friend but I think he is struggling with the changing phase of his happy life (teenage way of thinking) to the new one (adulthood). I had already undergo this experience and will still struggle until He takes me away from this 'beautiful' world into His Mercy, may He be Merciful to my soul and brothers and sisters. 

I am just taking this opportunity to wish brothers and sisters Happy New Year 1433 H which will fall on this Saturday. I know some would say that this is a bida'ah (invention) but worshiping Allah together in a congregational prayer services in the masjid for everyday is not a bida'ah right? Remind everyone about valid sunnah but don't hurt people feeling by just stating this and that as bida'ah (invention). Provide evidences or else we are also considered as committing bida'ah to call other brothers and sisters with names. Dividing brothers and sisters by calling names is bida'ah and haram where we had already declared our testimony of faith to Allah (the God) and His messenger and servant, Muhammad (saw). Talk with everyone with love and mercy. Our Lord, the God is all-Merciful and full of Loving-Kindness. 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!