What Is the Day of Ashura and Why Does It Matter?

Some days carry weight beyond the calendar. The 10th of Muharram is one of those days — a moment in history so significant that Allah's intervention on it became an annual occasion for gratitude, reflection, and fasting for every Muslim until the Day of Judgment.

If you feel disconnected from Ashura, or are not quite sure what you are supposed to do, this article gives you everything you need.

What Actually Happened on Ashura

The Day of Ashura marks the event described in Surah Al-Baqarah:

وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ

"And remember when We parted the sea for you, saving you and drowning the people of Pharaoh..."

— (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:50)

On this day, Allah saved Musa عليه السلام and the Children of Israel from Pharaoh's army by parting the Red Sea. Pharaoh and his forces were drowned. A people oppressed and enslaved were freed in a single day by the direct intervention of their Creator.

This is not mythology. The Quran confirms it. And the Prophet ﷺ took it seriously enough that when he arrived in Madinah and found the Jews fasting on this day, he investigated:

Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه reported: "The Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He said: 'What is this?' They said: 'This is a righteous day. It is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, so Musa fasted on it.' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'We have more right to Musa than you.' So he fasted on it and commanded that it be fasted." — (Sahih Bukhari 2004, sunnah.com)

The Prophet ﷺ did not invent Ashura — he recognized a day that had meaning since the time of Musa, claimed the Muslim community's connection to that history, and established the fast as an act of gratitude.

Why This Should Mean Something to You

The rescue of Musa and the Children of Israel is everyone's story. It is the story of what happens when human power reaches its absolute limit — and the Creator intervenes.

Ashura is an annual reminder that the same Allah who parted seas for a desperate people is your Allah. He has not changed. His ability to intervene in your life, to save you from situations that appear impossible, to give you a way out when all exits seem closed — this has not diminished.

The Muslim who fasts on Ashura is not performing a ritual for its own sake. They are expressing gratitude that the God of Musa is the God of Muhammad ﷺ, is their God, and is still the One who saves.

How Modern Muslims Struggle with Ashura

For many Muslims, Ashura fades into the background — especially compared to Ramadan and the big Eid celebrations. The Muharram fasts are quiet, less community-driven, and easy to miss.

The nafs works on indifference here. "It's optional anyway." "I already fasted enough in Ramadan." "I'll do it next year."

But consider what the Prophet ﷺ said about this specific fast:

صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ

Siyamu yawmi 'Ashura'a, Ahtasibu 'alallahi an yukaffira as-sanata allati qablah

"Fasting the day of Ashura — I hope that Allah will expiate the sins of the previous year."

— (Sahih Muslim 1162, sunnah.com)

One day. One fast. A year of minor sins wiped. The opportunity cost of skipping this is enormous.

How to Observe Ashura Correctly

Fast on the 10th of Muharram

This is the core. Mark your calendar for the 10th of Muharram (the date changes each year with the lunar calendar — check an Islamic calendar for the current year).

The fast is the same as any voluntary fast: begin with suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and intention, abstain from food, drink, and sexual relations during daylight hours, and break the fast at Maghrib.

Add the 9th for the Prophetic Practice

Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه narrated: "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasted on Ashura and commanded the Muslims to fast, they said: 'O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that the Jews and Christians honor.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'When the following year comes, if Allah wills, we shall fast the ninth day too.' But it so happened that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away before the following year." — (Sahih Muslim 1134, sunnah.com)

Based on this hadith, scholars strongly recommend fasting the 9th and 10th of Muharram together — Tasu'a (9th) and Ashura (10th). This differentiates the Muslim practice from that of those who honor only the 10th.

If you can only fast one day, fast the 10th. If you can manage two, fast the 9th and 10th.

Track Your Voluntary Fasts — Build the Habit That Counts

Ashura, Mondays and Thursdays, the White Days — voluntary fasting is one of the most powerful habits a Muslim can build. DeenBack helps you track these fasts and build consistency all year.

Free download. Premium features available in-app.

Make Dua and Reflect

The day of Ashura is a day of gratitude. Use it:

• Read the story of Musa in the Quran (Surah Ta-Ha, Surah Al-Qasas)
• Make dua for the oppressed Muslim ummah around the world
• Reflect on what Allah has saved you from in your own life

The dua of Musa عليه السلام at his most desperate moment:

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

Rabbi inni lima anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqeer

"My Lord, indeed I am in need of whatever good You would send down to me."

— (Surah Al-Qasas, 28:24)

This is the dua Musa made when he was alone, exhausted, and had nothing. Allah answered by sending him a wife, a home, and prophethood. Say it on Ashura. Mean it.

Signs You Are Growing in This Practice

• You mark Ashura in your Islamic calendar before Muharram begins
• The fast feels meaningful, not just routine — you know the story behind it
• You extend the practice to fasting on the 9th as well
• You use the day to make dua for the ummah, not just for yourself
• Ashura becomes one anchor in your year-round relationship with the Islamic lunar calendar

Common Questions

"Is Ashura a day of mourning for Shia Muslims? Should Sunnis mourn?" The Day of Ashura became associated with mourning among Shia Muslims because it is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali رضي الله عنه at Karbala (61 AH). The Sunni position, based on the established hadith, is that Ashura's significance predates Karbala — it is the day of Musa's rescue — and the prescribed observance is fasting, not mourning. Read fasting on ashura for the specific fasting rulings.

"I did not fast on Ashura this year. Did I miss something major?" The fast is a strongly recommended Sunnah (mustahabb), not obligatory. Missing it is a loss of great reward, not a sin. Make an intention for next year and keep track with an Islamic lunar calendar.

"Can I give sadaqah on Ashura?" Charity is good on any day. There is no specific narration linking extra sadaqah to Ashura, so it is not a special practice on that day specifically — but it is always welcome.

Closing — A Day That Still Parted the Sea

Ashura is the annual reminder that your Creator intervened in history on behalf of desperate, outnumbered, enslaved believers. He parted a sea. He drowned an empire. He saved a people who had nothing but their faith in Him.

That same God is alive, present, and fully capable of intervening in your life.

Fast the 9th and 10th of Muharram. Make dua with the dua of Musa. And carry the knowledge that the God who saved Musa is the God you call upon five times a day.

For more on voluntary fasting, read fasting in muharram and virtues of fasting in islam.

Mark the Days That Matter — Build Your Islamic Calendar Habits

Ashura, Arafah, Laylatul Qadr — the Islamic year is full of high-value days. DeenBack helps you stay connected to the lunar calendar with reminders and habit tracking for the days that count most.

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