-
There are series of contradicting reports documented in the Sunni books about the legislation of Ashura fast (i.e. Fast on the tenth day of the month of Muharram). However, when going through the available reports about the Ashura fast in the Sunni books of Hadith; one may classify those Hadiths into the following four categories:
First Category: Reports such as that of Aisha which say that Ashura fast was a Pre-Islamic (i.e. Jahiliyyah) practice and it used to be observed by the Quraishi pagans in Mecca and the Prophet used to observe it and when he migrated to Medina, he also observed it and he instructed others to do so. Thereafter, it became optional after the institutionalization of Ramadan fast[1].
Second Category: Reports such as that of Ibn Abbas which say that the Prophet found the Medinan Jews observing Ashura fasts in order to celebrate the day of liberation of the Children of Israel from Pharaoh, then the Prophet commanded the Muslims to observe it, as the Muslims are more entitled to Musa than the Jews[2].
Third Category: Reports such as that of Aisha which say that the Prophet used to observe Ashura fast until the Ramadan fast was institutionalized. But it thereafter became an optional fast (i.e. a supererogatory fast)[3].
Fourth Category: Reports such as that of Ibn Umar which say that the Prophet of Allah used to observe Ashura fast and commanded others to observe it until Ramadan was institutionalized, then he dropped it completely[4].
In the light of the afore-mentioned Hadiths, the following conclusion could be derived:
1. Ashura fast was a pre-Islamic practice (i.e. a pagan practice), which was adopted by the Prophet of Islam.
2. Ashura fast was a Jewish practice, which was adopted by the Prophet of Islam.
3. Ashura fast became optional after the institutionalization of Ramadan fast.
4. Ashura fast was totally abandoned by the Prophet after the institutionalization of Ramadan fast.
Conclusion:
It is illogical to believe that the Prophet adopted a pre-Islamic or Jewish practice without any divine commandment. Moreover, the institutionalization of Ramadan fast was in the second year of Hijra, then, how come the Prophet noticed the Jews observing fast on Ashura in the ninth year, as these narrations suggest. You should take into account that there was no Jew in Medina in the ninth year after Hijra. In view of this, one may conclude that the reports on Ashura fast were fabricated by the Umayyads in order to cover their atrocities on this day. In addition to this all, there are several reports from the pure progeny of the Prophet which prohibit fasting on this day.
FOOTNOTES
[1]Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 30, Hadith 3, Chapter: Fasting is obligatory in (the month of) Ramadan; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, Book 8, Hadith 72 (Chapter: What has been related about the permission to not fast the day of Ashura)
[2]Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 13, Hadith 172, Chapter: Which day should be fasted for 'Ashura?; Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 30, Hadith 110, Chapter: Observing fast on the day of 'Ashura; Mishkat al-Masabih, Book 7 (Fasting), Chapter: Voluntary Fasting - Section 1, Hadith 84.
[3]Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 30, Hadith 106 (Chapter on Ashura fasting).
[4]Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 30, Hadith 2, Chapter: Fasting is obligatory in (the month of) Ramadan)