Allah(SWT) states in Surah Taubah, verse 37 :”Indeed the number of months by Allah are 12, so was it ordained by Allah on the day He created the heavens and earth, of them 4 are sacred.”

Rasulallah(SAW) informed us about these 4 months in a hadith recorded by Imaam Ali Bukhaari(RA) in his famous book As Saheeh. In hadith no 4662 he recorded that Abu Bakara(RA) said that the Prophet(SAW) addressed them in his farewell sermon saying that, “indeed the year evolves as it was the day Allah(SWT) created the heavens and the earth. The year has 12 months, among them 4 are sacred, 3 are successive, Dhul Qi’dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.”

The above Quraanic verse and hadith show that the month of Muharram has been declared sacred by Allah(SWT) on the day He(SWT) created the heavens and the earth.

Allah(SWT) honoured Imaam Al Husein(RA) by awarding him with martyrdom in this auspicious month. Due to the fact that these 4 months and Ramadaan are sacred in the Islamic calendar, the reward for good deeds in these months are far greater than it is in other months.

Due to the fact that these 4 months and Ramadaan are sacred in the Islamic calendar, the reward for good deeds in these months are far greater than it is in other months. Just as engaging in sin during these months is far more heinous than engaging in sins in other months. Of course sinning is prohibited throughout the year, but we must exercise more caution during these months. Allaamah Ibn Katheer in his popular tafseer quotes Imaam As Shaafi(RA) as saying: “One who commits murder during these months, must pay more than the prescribed amount of blood money.”

What crime could be worse in the eyes of Allah than the horrific acts committed against Muslims in Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir and various other places around the world.

On the other hand what better good can anyone do than to help prevent these murders of innocent people.

We should be using these sacred months to change our acts of laziness and to make a permanent change to our lives to build the Ummah into a united front against injustices and oppression.

The 10th day of Muharram is considered more sacred than the other days of this month. This day is called Aashuraa. This day is treated as sacred because Allah(SWT) rescued Nabi Moosa(AS) and the Israelites from the oppression of Phiroun on this day, as reported by Imaam Al Bukhaari and Imaam Muslim(RA).

How tragically ironic is it then that Modern day Zionist Israelis have themselves become the oppressors.

What type of Islam do we follow when observing religious rituals and worship takes priority over our essential duty to help our brothers and sisters. We worship yet neglect those that cannot even pray in mosques for fear of being bombed to death? What kind of injustice is this?

Make this Muharram and Aashura different. Make sure you are helping other Muslims to live, work and worship. Join MPACUK to learn what you can do to help. We have the solutions but all we are lacking are the manpower and resources, something Muslims have in abundance. It is time to be less selfish and time to donate money and time to the best cause. The cause of defending the Ummah.

Excerpts taken from article 'THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MUHARRAM' By Khalid Yacob An Nadwi