Fasting the Ninth, Tenth AND Eleventh of al-Muharram

by Asma bint Shameem

It is good and recommended to fast, not only the ninth and tenth of Muharram, but ALSO the eleventh.

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“The fast of ‘Aashooraa has FOUR levels.

🔹 The first level is to fast the 9th, the 10th and the 11th [days of Muharram].

And this is the highest level, based upon what [Imaam] Ahmad transmitted in al-Musnad:

“Fast the day before it, and the day after it; [and in doing so] differ [yourselves] from the Jews.”

And [in addition], if a person was to fast these three days, then he has attained the virtue of fasting the [recommended] three days of every month.

🔹 The second level, [is to fast] the 9th and the 10th [days of Muharram], based on the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:

“If I live until next year, I will certainly fast the ninth [day of Muharram].”

[And he said this] after it was said to him that the Jews used to fast the 10th day [of Muharram]; and he used to like to differ from the Jews, rather to differ from every disbeliever.

🔹 And the third [level], [is to fast] the 10th along with the 11th [days of Muharram].

🔹 And the fourth [level], [is to fast] the 10th [day of Muharram] by itself.

And from amongst the scholars are those who say [it] is permissible [to do so], and from amongst them are those who say [it] is disliked [to do so].”

🍃 Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said:

“…Fasting Aashooraa (10th of Muharram) comes under three categories;

🔹the lowest is to fast it alone,

🔹better than it, is to fast the ninth day with it, and 

🔹the BEST is to fast the ninth AND the eleventh days with it” 

(Fath Al-Bari by Ibn Hajar 4/246)

In other words, it’s BEST if we fast the ninth, tenth AS WELL AS the eleventh of al-Muharram. 

We all know that fasting on the Day of Aashooraa (meaning the tenth of Muharram) and the day before it, is recommended. 

🍃 Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhumaa said: 

“When the Messenger of Allaah  observed fast on the day of Aashooraa, and ordered Muslims to fast on it, they said to him: “O Messenger of Allaah! 

This is a day which both the Jews and the Christians venerate. 

Upon this, the Messenger of Allaah  said, “When it is the next year, In Shaa’ Allaah, we would observe fast on the ninth day (of Al-Muharram besides that day)”. 

But, it was not until the next year that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ had died” 

(Saheeh Muslim 2666)

However, there are reasons why the ulama say it’s recommended to fast the eleventh as well. 

For example:

1. There’s a statement of Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhumaa that recommends fasting on the eleventh as well. 

🍃 Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhumaa said:

“Fast the day of Aashooraa’, be different from Jews, fast one day before it or one day after it”

(At-Tabari in “Tahdheeb Al-Athar” (Musnad `Umar/1430); authentic by Al-Albaani as “Mawqoof”)

“Mawqoof” is a tradition attributed to a Sahaabi.

And we all know that it’s ALL the Sahaabah are trustworthy and they would not say anything about the Deen that’s of their own thoughts.

They would only say that which was proven or approved by the Prophet ﷺ.

2. Also another reason to fast on the eleventh is to make sure that you have fasted on the tenth. 

That’s because sometimes there’s a mistake in the sighting of the moon.

So by fasting on the ninth, the tenth AND the eleventh, we can be SURE that we’ve fasted the day of Aashooraa. 

3. In any case, it’s good to fast as many days in Muharram as possible. 

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

 “The best fast after Ramadhaan is the month of Allaah, al-Muharram.”  (Saheeh Muslim 1163)

That’s why the Salaf were keen to fast the ninth, tenth AND eleventh of al-Muharram. 

🍃 Imam Ahmad said: 

“whoever wants to fast ‘Ashooraa’ should fast on the ninth and the tenth, unless there is some uncertainty about the months, in which case he should fast for three days.” (Al-Mughni, 4/441)

🍃 Ibn Abi Shaybah reported:

“Tawoos used to fast one day before it (the 10th) and one day after it, for fear of missing it.” [al-Musannaf (2/313)]

🍃Shaikh Muhammad Ali Ferkous said:

“It is also recommended to fast the day preceding ‘Aashooraa’ which is the ninth day of the month Al-Muharram as it is mentioned in the hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas. 

Furthermore, it is recommended to fast a day AFTER Aashooraa’, that is to say, the ELEVENTH day of the month of Al-Muharram, as it is narrated in an authentic and mawqoof text according to Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhumaa: “Fast the day of Aashooraa; be different from Jews, fast one day before it or one day after it” (Fatwa # 817)

🍃 And Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:

“One may also observe fast on all three days, i.e. the ninth, the tenth, and the eleventh of Muharram as is reported in some narrations: “Fast a day before (the Day of ‘Ashooraa’) and a day after it.”

🍃And he said:

“fasting the ninth (of Muharram) along with the tenth is better.

If one fasts the tenth along with the eleventh then that suffices due to differing from the Jews, and if one fasts them both together along with the tenth then there is no harm.”(Majmoo’ Fataawa vol 15 p.403)

And Allaah knows best.