How Muslims Should Approach the Days of Tasu‘a and ‘Ashura

Question: A brother asks: “Tomorrow, Wednesday, is the day of Tasu‘a, and Thursday is the day of ‘Ashura. What should be done on these days?” Sheikh Rashad Adh-Dhali'ee hafidhahullah: These days are simply days like other days. What has been prescribed for us is to fast on them. We should neither celebrate them like the Jews celebrate, nor mourn them like the Rafidah do. The Jews take these days as a festival. They adorn their women with jewellery, wear fine clothing, and beautify themselves because it is the day when Allah saved Musa and destroyed Fir'awn. The Rafidah, however, make these days days of sadness, crying, and mourning gatherings, claiming that they are weeping for Husayn because he was killed during these days. Muslims do neither of these things. Rather, what is prescribed for them is to fast on these days, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “We are more deserving of Musa than they are.” We are more deserving of Musa than the Jews, who in reality rejected him — because if they had truly believed in him, they would have believed in Muhammad ﷺ. But they rejected him and what he called to. Therefore, Muslims are more deserving of Musa than them. They fast these days as a way of thanking Allah, the Most High, who saved Musa and his people and destroyed Fir'awn and his people. They do not join the Rafidah in their actions — neither in their celebrations nor by attending their gatherings. Scholars, such as Shaykh Al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) in Iqtida’ As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim, warned that people should not participate in these invented festivals, even through buying and selling. Even sellers should not sell in the places where such gatherings take place, because this is considered helping them in these wrong actions and encouraging them to do them. Whoever provides them with food, drink, or accommodation is considered to be assisting them. What is prescribed, based on the evidence, is to fast these days. The Companions used to fast them and would train their children to fast as well. They would fast the day of ‘Ashura and get the children accustomed to fasting. Source: https://t.me/rshad11/19568