Ashura falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. For Muslims, It’s a voluntary day of fasting which commemorates the day that Musa was saved from Pharaoh by God creating a path in the Sea.

Also, it marks the day in which the Battle of Karbala took place, resulting in Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, being martyred along with his supporters.

It is recommended but non-obligatory day of fasting for Sunni Muslims

According to hadith record in Sahih Bukhari, Ashura was already known as a commemorative day during which some Meccan residents used to observe customary fasting. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم fasted on the day of Ashura, 10th Muharram, in Mecca. When fasting during the month of Ramadan became obligatory, the fast of Ashura was made non-compulsory.

• A’isha, the wife of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“The day of Ashura was a day the Quraysh used to fast in the jahiliyya, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used also to fast it during the jahiliyya. Then when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina he fasted it and ordered that it be fasted. Then Ramadan was made obligatory, and that became the fard instead of Ashura, but whoever wanted to, fasted it, and whoever did not want to, did not fast it.”

The virtue of fasting Tasu’a and Ashura (The ninth and tenth days of Muharram)

The day of Ashura is a great virtue and an ancient sanctity, and its fast was well-known among the prophets, peace be upon them, including Noah and Moses, who fasted it, and its fasting expiates the sins of the previous year.

• Abu Qatadah narrated that :

The Prophet said: “Fast the Day of Ashura, for indeed I anticipate that Allah will forgive (the sins of) the year before it.”

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 752

The day of Tasu’a:

The day before it called the day of Tasu’a (the ninth), and fasting on the day of Tasu’a is desirable according to Sharia law, because it contradicts the Jews who fast on the day of Ashura only, because God Almighty saved Moses, peace be upon him, from Pharaoh.

Muslim’s Du’aa on these days

• The Messenger of Allah, صلى الله عليه وسلم, says about this day, ‘This is the day of Ashura, and fasting it has not been prescribed for you. I am fasting it, and whoever of you wants to fast it can do so, and whoever does not want to, does not have to.’ “
• The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say:

“La ilaha illallahul-Azimul-Halim. La ilaha illallahu Rabbul-‘Arshil-‘Azim. La ilaha illallahu Rabbus-samawati, wa Rabbul-ardi, wa Rabbul-‘Arshil- Karim. (None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Incomparably Great, the Compassionate. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Rubb of the Mighty Throne. None has the right to be Worshipped but Allah the Rubb of the heavens, the Rubb of the earth, and the Rubb of the Honourable Throne).”

• Our mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blinking of an eye (i.e. a moment). Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship but You.
• O Allah, purify me of sin and error, O Allah cleanse me of it as a white garment is cleansed of dirt, O Allah purify me with snow and hail and cold water.”
• “There is no god but You: glory to You Almighty: I was indeed wrong!”