Mr. Pembo,

May Allah (SWT) bless us all. I thank you for the response.

Dr. Jeng
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "MUSA PEMBO" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: Fasting On the Day of Ashura.


Dr.Jeng,
As-salamou alekum wa rahmatulahi,wa barakaatuhu.
The point of Reciting For Instance Surah Ikhlas 1000 times out of desire to
get the reward of reciting a portion of the Holy Quran Gives you the reward
at any time of the year,but to single out the Day of Ashura for this purpose
is without basis in Islam,that was the point I was trying to make.
Most of these practices came over to Islam from the days of Ignorance,and
our Scholars are very knowledgeable in this matter,but have not taken the
time to differentiate what is Islam and what is something else.As I write
this email to you ,some of our brothers and sisters are being force to
borrow money to perform these things,even when it is not necessary from the
Islamic point of view.
You can fast tomorrow say your prayers as you normally do,read your Holy
Quran and do your Dhikr .You will get the reward it is that simple,but to
inconvenient people by cooking lots of food for the occasion is
unnecessary.Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala  through His Prophet(on whom be
blessing and peace)has made the religion very simple and practical for us,
lets don't' complicate things for ourself.Can you begin to imagine the
strain and embarrassment this action of some people will cause to genuine
Muslims in the Gambia who are not in a position to do like the Ceesays or
the Camaras(I mean no offence here).
May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala guide us always  to what is right in our Deen
and save us from following blindly.We owe it to ourself to find the truth.
The very best of salam,
Musa.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sainabou Jeng" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 10:00 AM
Subject: *** SPAM *** SV: Fasting On the Day of Ashura.


Mr. Pembo,

As-salaamu aleikum, wa rahmatulahi, wa barakaatuhu

I am a bit confused here! Your message below indicates that among other
things "Recitation of certain Suras on a number of times" on this day of
Ashura is un-islamic! I can understand that the others may be un-islamic,
but can't understand how reciting for example 1000 Ikhlas to commemorate
this day can be.

Please enlighten me here.

Dr. Jeng





> From: MUSA PEMBO [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 2006-02-08 09:50:34 CET
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Fasting On the Day of Ashura.
>
> Tomorrow Thursday 9th February,i.e.the 10th Day of Muharram Is the Day Of
Ashura.
>
> What is the significance of fasting on the Day of `Ashura', i.e., the 10th
day of Muharram? Is it to remember the martyrdom of Imam Husain, may Allah
be pleased with him?
>
> In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
>
> All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon
His Messenger.
> As a matter of fact, the true Muslim always takes the advantage of the
blessed occasions and days of Islam. He spares no pains in drawing himself
nearer to Allah, Most High. In doing so, he concerns himself with knowing
the virtuous days and occasions in Islam so as to follow his Prophet's suit
in all spheres of life.
>
> Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "I never saw
Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) so keen to fast any day
and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of `Ashura', and
this month, meaning Ramadan." (Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1867) In another Hadith we
are told that fasting the day of `Ashura' expiates the sins of the previous
year.
>
> Focusing more on the question in point, we'd like to cite the following
Fatwa issued by Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, former president of the Islamic
Society of North America:
> Fasting the Day of `Ashura' is not to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Husain
(may Allah be pleased with him). We deeply respect Imam Husain's martyrdom,
we honor his glorious act of sacrifice for the sake of Islam. He gave us a
great example of truth, courage and piety. But we also feel pain and grief
in our hearts for his assassination at the hand of some hypocrites who took
Islam as a pretext to commit their crime. They fought and killed Allah's
Messenger's beloved and blessed grandson and his family. This was the most
heinous and shameful crime that was committed for the sake of political
power. This tragic event took place in the year 61 AH or 680 CE. However,
the tradition of `Ashura' fasting is very ancient and it goes back to a long
time before Imam Husian.
>
> It is reported in the Sahih of Imam Al-Bukhari and other authentic
collections of Hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and
his Companions used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram while they were in
Makkah (before the Hijrah).
>
> It was a day on which people of Makkah used to change the covering
(Kiswah) of the Ka`bah. Quraysh also used to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari,
Hadith 1489 and 1760)
>
> After the Hijrah when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came
to Madinah, he found that the Jews of Madinah also used to observe this day
with fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked them the
reason of their fasting on this day. They said, "This is a blessed day. On
this day Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy (in Egypt) and
so Prophet Musa fasted on this day giving thanks to Allah." The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, "We have more claim to Musa than
you." He fasted on that day and commanded Muslims to fast on this day.
(Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1865)
>
> In another report it is mentioned that Jews of Madinah used to hold feast
on this day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told his
Companions to fast instead. (Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1866)
>
> `Ashura' fasting was obligatory (Fard) in the beginning. In the second
year of Hijrah (624 CE) when Allah's command came that Muslims should fast
the whole month of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
then sent someone to announce to people that fasting of `Ashura' had become
voluntary (Nafl). This indicates that whosoever wishes to fast, may fast and
whosoever does not want to fast, there will be no blame on him/her.
>
> Imam At-Tirmidhi mentions that Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them
both) used to say that we should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of
Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi,
Hadith 686)
>
> Ibn `Abbas also quotes the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as
saying, "If I live next year, I shall also fast on the 9th day." (Musnad
Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Hadith 2002)
>
> There is a great reward in fasting the day of `Ashura'. There are many
Hadiths that mention its blessings and virtues. It is good to fast on this
day, although it is not obligatory.
>
> Brothers and Sisters,beware of Un-islamic practices on this Day,there are
lots of things people do,that has no basis in Islam,like wearing New
Clothes,Women putting on Black eye shadow or colouring,Cooking of Sumptious
meals for the day,Recitation of certain Suras on a number of
times,Distribution of sweets and deserts,and lot more,these are definitely
not Islamic,I hope Scholars on the ground would use the opportunity to
educate people,of what is truly Islamic.
> The very best of salam,
> Musa.
>
>
> ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
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