Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (5/304)

Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-ṢāliḥīnIbn al-'Uthaymin

of Allah with his very life and his wealth—namely his weapons and his mount. He is then killed and the enemy seizes his weapons and mount. Having forfeited both life and property for Allah’s sake, he stands among the finest of all who strive in His cause. Such a deed outweighs any righteous act performed during the Ten Days; and if it happens to occur within those Ten Days its merit grows even greater.

Among the days for which fasting is recommended are the Day of ʿArafah and the tenth of Muḥarram. In the narration of Abū Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on the Day of ʿArafah, and he said, “It expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.” The “previous year” is the one that has ended—because ʿArafah falls near the close of the lunar year—while the “coming year” is the one ahead; thus the fast wipes out two years of sins.

He was next asked about fasting on the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ, whereupon he said, “It expiates the sins of the past year,” so its reward is less than that of fasting on ʿArafah. Even so, one should fast Tāsuʿāʾ (the ninth) along with ʿĀshūrāʾ, for the Prophet ﷺ said, “If I live until next year I will certainly fast the ninth,” meaning together with the tenth.

He also instructed that a person fast either a day before or a day after ʿĀshūrāʾ so as to differ from the Jews. The Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ—the tenth of Muḥarram—is the day on which Allah saved Moses and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people. The Jews used to fast it in gratitude to Allah for this tremendous blessing whereby He delivered His troops and vanquished the army of Satan: He rescued Moses and his followers and destroyed Pharaoh and his followers—a magnificent favor indeed. When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah, he found the Jews fasting on ʿĀshūrāʾ. He asked them about it and they replied, “This is the day on which Allah saved Moses and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people, so we fast it in thanks to Allah.” He said, “We are more entitled to Moses than you,” because the Prophet and those

الله بنفسه وماله وماله يعني: سلاحه ومركوبه ثم يقتل ويؤخذ سلاحه ومركوبه يأخذه العدو فهذا فقد نفسه وماله في سبيل الله فهو من أفضل المجاهدين فهذا أفضل من العمل الصالح في أيام العشر وإذا وقع هذا العمل في أيام العشر تضاعف فضله. ومن الأيام التي يسن صيامها يوم عرفة واليوم العاشر من شهر المحرم لحديث أبي قتادة ﵁ أن النبي ﷺ سئل عن صوم يوم عرفة قال: يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية الماضية يعني: التي انتهت لأن يوم عرفة في آخر شهر من العام والباقية فهو يكفر سنتين. وسئل عن صوم يوم عاشوراء قال: يكفر السنة الماضية فهو أقل أجرا من صوم يوم عرفة ومع ذلك ينبغي أن يصوم من عاشوراء تاسوعاء لأن النبي ﷺ قال: لأن بقيت إلى قادم لأصومن التاسع يعني: مع العاشر. ولأنه أمر أن يصام يوما قبله أو يوما بعده مخالفة لليهود لأن يوم عاشوراء العاشر من المحرم هو اليوم الذي أنجى الله فيه موسى وقومه وأغرق فرعون وقومه فكان اليهود يصومونه شكرا لله على هذه النعمة العظيمة أن الله أنجى جنده وهزم جند الشيطان أنجى موسى وقومه وأهلك فرعون وقومه فهو نعمة عظيمة ولهذا لما قدم النبي ﷺ المدينة وجد اليهود يصومون يوم عاشوراء فسألهم عن ذلك فقالوا: هذا يوم نجا الله موسى وقومه وأهلك فرعون وقومه فنصومه شكرا لله فقال: نحن أولى بموسى منكم لماذا لأن النبي والذين