By the permission of Allah, THIS THURSDAY will be the day of Ashoora (10th day of the month of Muharam). We should follow the footsteps of our beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) by fasting the day before (Wednesday) and the day of Ashoora (Thursday).  These are easy rewards my brothers and sisters in faith! :)

 Below are hadith (sayings from the final messenger) in regards to fasting during this blessed month:

‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas radiyaAllahu ‘anhu said:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَجَدَهُمْ يَصُومُونَ يَوْمًا يَعْنِي عَاشُورَاءَ فَقَالُوا هَذَا يَوْمٌ عَظِيمٌ وَهُوَ يَوْمٌ نَجَّى اللَّهُ فِيهِ مُوسَى وَأَغْرَقَ آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ فَصَامَ مُوسَى شُكْرًا لِلَّهِ فَقَالَ : أَنَا أَوْلَى بِمُوسَى مِنْهُمْ فَصَامَهُ ، وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ
When the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam came to Madeenah, he found them (the Jews of Madeenah) fasting on one day, i.e., ‘Aashoora’. They said: This is a great day; it is the day on which Allah saved Moosa ‘alayhis salaam and drowned the people of Pharaoh, so Moosa ‘alayhis salaam fasted in gratitude to Allah. He (the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “I am closer to Moosa than they are.” So he fasted on that day and issued instructions to fast on that day. [Bukhaari # 3216]

Reward for fasting the day of ‘Aashooraa’ and the way to fast.

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ
Fasting the day of ‘Arafah I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year before it and the year after it, and fasting the day of ‘Aashooraa’ I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it.” [Muslim # 1162] By the Mercy of Allah, fasting the 10th of Muharram is a means to earn forgiveness for a year’s worth of Minor Sins.

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas radiyaAllahu ‘anhu said:
حِينَ صَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ يَوْمٌ تُعَظِّمُهُ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَإِذَا كَانَ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صُمْنَا الْيَوْمَ التَّاسِعَ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَأْتِ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
When the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora and told the people to fast, they said, “O Messenger of Allah, this is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians.” The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Next year, if Allah wills, we will fast on the ninth day.” But by the time the following year came, the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had passed away. [Muslim # 1916] The Sunnah way of Fasting ‘Aashooraa’ is to fast the 9th of Muharram as well. This is the Sunnah because of the clear intention made by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.