Message from Imam Bilal about Ashura

As salaam alaykum everyone,

Imam Bilal wants to share his research about the day of Ashura and suggestions for how we might practice.  This year, Ashura begins on Wednesday 7/17 at sunset and lasts until Thursday 7/18 at sunset.

He notes that rather than a particular event, sunni muslims celebrate the universality of this special day.

Abd al Qadr al Jilani (Q) - has a universal interpretation and quotes the Mufasireen who have shared some of the major events in the prophets' lives, alayhim salaam, each of which happened on Ashura.  In each case, Imam Bilal shares Quranic verses that describe the event and then also ones that can be used as a related dua or dhikr.  Imam Bilal recommends that in addition to fasting and nawafl prayer, we might choose one of the prophets and recite, contemplate and perhaps memorize the related verses.

Adam and Eve (AS) are forgiven for their mistake.  So this means there is no original sin and mistakes don't follow us down the generations.  The event is 2:37, the dua is 7:23.

Noah (AS) disembarks from the arc after 40 days, 11:44 is the event, the dua is 11:41.

Musa (AS) and the children of Israel are released from captivity.  26:63-66 is the event, the dua is 7:151.

Ibrahim (AS) extinguishes the fire, 21:69 is the event, the dua is 19:47.

Jonah (AS) was freed from the stomach of the whale after 40 days, 21:88-9 for both the event and dua.  This dua gets you out of the three darknesses; the dark of the belly of a fish, the darkness of the depth of the ocean and the darkness of the belly of the night.

Yusuf (AS) was released from prison, 12:42-45 is the event, the dua is well known, 12:101.

Ayub/Job (AS) restored to health 38:42 for the event, the dua is 21:83

Daud (AS) is forgiven 38:24-25 is the event, the dua is 2:250.

Suleiman's (AS) kingdom is restored to him, 38:32-35 contains both the event and the dua.

Isa (AS) is raised to paradise, 3:55 is the event, the dua is 19:33.

Fasting and prayer are usual practices on Ashura.  Per hadith, Muharram is the best month to fast after Ramadan.  Each day of fasting in Muharram is like 50 years of fasting.  So it is recommended if you can.

For the night of 10th Muharram (the night of Ashura) you might also do 4 rakat of nawafl prayer before witr.  The nawafl prayer is to do 4 rakats.  In each rakat, do 11 recitations of Ihklas (sura 112) after the fatiha.  For every rakat, 50 years of faults are forgiven.

Imam Bilal hopes some of the above information interests and benefits each of you.   Salaams and barakat to all.

(thanks to Ahmed who received this message from Imam Bilal and prepared it for all of us)