Fasting of Ashura

5. It is narrated from him (narrator of previous Hadith) from Muhammad ibn ’Isa ibn ‘Ubayd who has said that narrated to me Ja’far ibn ’Isa his brother who has said the following: “I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.) about fasting on ‘Ashura’ and what people say about it. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is the fast of Ibn Marjanah. You are asking me about the day in which the Claimers [al-Ad'iyah] of the family of Ziyad for their murdering al-Husayn (a.s.) were fasting. It is an ominous day for the family of Muhammad, (a.s.). For people of Islam it is an ominous day. A day, which is ominous for the people of Islam is not a day of fasting or a day of blessing. Monday is an unblessed day because God took His Holy prophet (s.a.w.) from this world. The family of Muhammad (a.s.) has been hurt on Monday, so we took it as an ominous day and our enemies took it as a day of blessing. On the day of ‘Ashura’ al-Husayn (a.s.) was murdered and Ibn Marjanah took it for blessing but the family of Muhammad (a.s.), took it as an ominous day. Whoever fasts on this day or takes it for blessing will come in the presence of God with metamorphosed heart and will be raised with those who established the Sunnah of fasting on that day and took it for blessing.’” [Furu' al-Kafi, Volume 4, Page 146-147]

5 - عنه، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد قال: حدثني جعفر بن عيسى أخوه قال:

سألت الرضا (عليه السلام) عن صوم عاشورا وما يقول الناس فيه، فقال: عن صوم ابن مرجانة (5) تسألني، ذلك يوم صامه الأدعياء من آل زياد لقتل الحسين (عليه السلام) وهو يوم يتشأم به آل محمد (صلى الله عليه وآله) ويتشأم به أهل الاسلام واليوم الذي يتشأم به أهل الاسلام لا يصام ولا يتبرك به ويوم الاثنين يوم نحس قبض الله عز وجل فيه نبيه وما أصيب آل محمد إلا في يوم الاثنين فتشأمنا به وتبرك به عدونا ويوم عاشورا قتل الحسين صلوات الله عليه وتبرك

به ابن مرجانة وتشأم به آل محمد صلى الله عليهم، فمن صامهما أو تبرك بهما لقى الله تبارك وتعالى ممسوخ القلب وكان حشره مع الذين سنوا صومهما والتبرك بهما.

Commentary:

Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlissi: His (a.s.) word: "Claimers" i.e Sons of Fornication [Awlad al-Zinah], it is said in Qamus: The claimer [da'i] is the one who is accused in his lineage.

His (a.s.) word: "Whoever fasts on this day" show that it is apparently prohibited to fast on the Monday and on the day of Ashura [...] And Ibn al-Junayd said: The fasting is abrogated, and it can be interpreted as if he fasted for it's blessing for it, for the reason mentioned in the report or for the purpose of superiority in particular, it would be an innovation at that time.

And regarding the fasting of the day of Ashura the narration have differed regarding it, the Sheikh [al-Tusi] combined them that whoever fasts on the day of Ashura by mean of sadness of what happened to the Family of Muhammad [Al Muhammad] will be rewarded, and the one who fast it believing what our opponent [Mukhalif] believe for it's merit and it's blessing and superiority, has sinned and has erred.

And he transmitted: this combination on the authority of his Sheikh al-Mufid.

And the apparent for me: Those narration that are narrated regarding the merit of fasting that day are considered to be said for taqiyya, and the preferable is to abstain [Imsak] for sadness until 'Asr, not a fast as narrated by Sheikh [al-Tusi] in Misbah from Abdallah bin Sinan from Abi Abdallah (a.s.) who said: "Fast it without intention and break it without gloating, and do not make it a complete fasting day, and let your breakfast be an hour after the 'Asr prayer with a drink of water." And to conclude: It is better to leave it completely by precaution. [Mirat al-Uqul, Volume 16, Page 361]

قوله عليه‌السلام: « الأدعياء » أي أولاد الزنا قال في القاموس : الدعي كغني المتهم في نسبه.

قوله عليه‌السلام: « فمن صامهما » يدل ظاهرا على حرمة صوم يوم الاثنين ويوم عاشوراء ، فأما الأول : فالمشهور عدم كراهته أيضا.

وقال ابن الجنيد : صومه منسوخ ، ويمكن حمله على ما إذا صام متبركا به للعلة المذكورة في الخبر ، أو لقصد رجحانه على الخصوص فإنه يكون بدعة حينئذ.

وأما صوم يوم عاشوراء : فقد اختلفت الروايات فيه ، وجمع الشيخ بينها بأن من صام يوم عاشوراء على طريق الحزن بمصائب آل محمد عليهم‌السلام فقد أصاب ، ومن صامه على ما يعتقد فيه مخالفونا من الفضل في صومه والتبرك به فقد أثم وأخطأ.

ونقل : هذا الجمع عن شيخه المفيد.

والأظهر عندي : أن الأخبار الواردة بفضل صومه محمولة على التقية. وإنما المستحب الإمساك على وجه الحزن إلى العصر لا الصوم كما رواه الشيخ في المصباح عن عبد الله بن سنان عن أبي عبد الله عليه‌السلام أنه قال صمه من غير تبييت وأفطره من غير تشميت ولا تجعله يوم صوم كملا ، وليكن إفطارك بعد [١] العصر بساعة على شربة من ماء [٢] الخبر. وبالجملة : الأحوط ترك صيامه مطلقا.