(PDF) The Sacred Month of Muharram
(PDF) The Sacred Month of Muharram
Compiled by Umm ‘Abdis Salaam Al Grenaadiyyah
The month of Muharram is the first month of the Hijri calendar. The word Muharram means sacred, it is one of the four sacred months as Allah revealed in the Quran and has been narrated on the Prophet (sallAllahu alahi wa sallam). The four sacred months are Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa`dah, and Dhul-Hijjah. Sins committed in these months are considered worst than sins in any other month.
Allah says in His Noble Qur’an,
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَات وَالأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ
“Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred, (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) collectively, as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allah is with those who are Al-Muttaqûn.” [Surah Tawbah: 36]
Imam Ibn Kathir says in his Tafsir,
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu ‘anhu) said that the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said in a speech during his Hajj, (The division of time has turned to its original form which was current when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is of twelve months, out of which four months are sacred: Three are in succession Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thaniyah) and Sha`ban.'' The Prophet then asked, (What is the day today') We said, "Allah and His Messenger know better. He kept quiet until we thought that he might give that day another name. He said (Isn't it the day of Nahr) We replied, "Yes.'' He further asked, (Which month is this) We again said, "Allah and His Messenger know better,'' and he kept quiet and made us think that he might give it another name. Then he said,(Isn't it the month of Dhul-Hijjah) We replied, "Yes.'' He asked, (What town is this) We said, "Allah and His Messenger know better,'' and he kept quiet until we thought that he might change its name. He asked, (Isn't this the (Sacred) Town) We said, "Yes.'' He said, (Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this city of yours. Verily, you will meet your Lord and He will question you about your actions. Behold! Do not revert to misguidance after me by striking the necks of one another. Have I conveyed It is incumbent upon those who are present to inform those who are absent, because those who are absent might comprehend (what I have said) better than some who are present.)
Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected this Hadith. In a small book collected by Shaykh `Alam ad-Din As-Sakhawi, entitled, Al-Mashhur fi Asma' Al-Ayam wash-Shuhur, he mentioned that Muharram is so named because it is a sacred month. To me, it was so named to emphasize its sacredness. This is because the Arabs would switch it around. One year they would say it was a sacred month, the following year they would say that it was not. The author said, "...and Safar is so named because they used to leave their homes during that month for fighting and traveling. When saying `Safir' a place, it means to leave it... Rabi` Al-Awwal is called that because they used to do Irtiba` in it, that is to maintain one's property... and Rabi` Al-Akhir, was so named for the same reasons. Jumada is called that because the water would dry up (Jamud) then....They say
Jumada Al-Uwla and Al-Awwal, or Jumada Al-Akhar or Al-Akhirah. Rajab comes from Tarjib, meaning to honor. Sha`ban because the tribes would separate and return to their homes. Ramadan was so named because of the severity of the Ramda' - that is - the heat, and they say that the branch Ramadat when it is thirsty...And the saying that it is a Name of Allah is a mistake, for there is no proof or support for that...' (مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُم ُ) of them four are sacred). The Arabs used to consider these months sacred during the time of Jahiliyyah, except for a group of them called Al-Basl, who held eight months of the year to be sacred as way of exaggeration in religion. The Prophet said, (Three are in succession; Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab [of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thani)] and Sha`ban). The Prophet said "Rajab of Mudar'' to attest to the custom of Mudar, in saying that Rajab is the month that is between Jumada and Sha`ban, not as the tribe of Rabi`ah thought, that it is between Sha`ban and Shawwal, which is Ramadan in the present calendar. The four Sacred Months were made four, three in succession and one alone, so that the Hajj and `Umrah are performed with ease. Dhul-Qa`dah, the month before the Hajj month, was made sacred because they refrained from fighting during that month. Dhul-Hijjah, the next month, was made sacred because it is the month of Hajj, during which they performed Hajj rituals. Muharram, which comes next, was made sacred so that they are able to go back to their areas in safety [after performing Hajj]. Rajab, in the middle of the lunar year, was made sacred so that those coming from the farthest areas of Arabia are able to perform `Umrah and visit the House and then go back to their areas safely. Allah said next, ( ذلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ) (That is the right religion), that is the Straight Law, requiring implementing Allah's order concerning the months that He made sacred and their true count as it was originally written by Allah. Allah said (فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ) (so wrong not yourselves therein) during these Sacred Months, for sin in them is worse than sin in other months. Likewise, sins in the Sacred City are written multiplied, (...and whoever inclines to evil actions therein (in Makkah) or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment) [22:25]. Similarly, sin in general is worse during the Sacred Months `Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, Allah's statement, (إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ) (Verily, the number of months with Allah...), is connected to (so wrong not yourselves therein), "In all (twelve) months.
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(PDF) The Sacred Month of Muharram
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