A new Islamic year is here. Muharram 1448 AH has arrived. And with it comes one of the greatest fasting opportunities outside of Ramadan. Most Muslims know they should fast on Ashura. Fewer know the full picture. Which days exactly? Why the 9th as well as the 10th? What is the story behind this fast? What does fasting in Muharram actually earn you before Allah?
Muharram 1448 AH is expected to begin on 16 June 2026. The Day of Ashura falls on 25 June 2026, the 10th of Muharram. Scholars recommend fasting on the 9th and 10th of Muharram together. The 9th is called Tasu’a. Fasting Ashura alone is also valid. The Prophet ﷺ said fasting on Ashura expiates the sins of the previous year. Fasting any day in Muharram carries the reward of thirty days of fasting for each day observed.
Muharram 1, 1448 AH is expected to fall on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, based on astronomical calculations. The actual start may shift by a day depending on local moon sighting.
The Day of Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, is expected to fall on Thursday, 25 June 2026, again subject to moon sighting confirmation.
Here are the key fasting dates for Muharram 1448:
| Day | Date (Expected) | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Muharram | 16 June 2026 | Islamic New Year 1448 AH begins |
| 9th Muharram (Tasu’a) | 24 June 2026 | Recommended fast |
| 10th Muharram (Ashura) | 25 June 2026 | The most virtuous fast of Muharram |
| 11th Muharram | 26 June 2026 | Alternative to pairing with the 9th |
Always confirm the start of Muharram with your local moon sighting authority. Dates may shift by one day in different regions.
The answer comes directly from the Prophet ﷺ himself.
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The best fasting after Ramadan is fasting in the month of Allah, al-Muharram.” (Sahih Muslim, 1163)
By calling it “the month of Allah,” Shahru Allah, the Prophet ﷺ gave Muharram a title not commonly used for any other month. This points to a unique and unparalleled sanctity. It is a month in which the gates of divine mercy are especially open for fasting, for giving, and for drawing closer to Allah.
Notice the phrasing carefully. The Prophet ﷺ did not say the best day or the best week. He said the best month for fasting after Ramadan is Muharram. This means fasting throughout Muharram, as much as you are able, carries exceptional reward. The specific days of Ashura and Tasu’a carry the greatest reward within them. But fasting any day in Muharram is an act of superior worship.
Ibn Abbas (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever fasts a day in the month of Muharram will receive the reward of thirty days of fasting for each day observed.“
One day of fasting in Muharram. Thirty days of reward. This is the generosity of Allah in this sacred month.
Understanding why the Prophet ﷺ fasted on Ashura deepens the act of worship beyond routine observance.
When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah after the Hijra, he found the Jewish community fasting on the 10th of Muharram. He asked them why. They told him it was the day Allah saved Prophet Musa (AS) and the Children of Israel from Pharaoh. Allah parted the sea. Pharaoh and his army drowned. And Musa (AS) fasted that day in gratitude to Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “We have more right to Musa than you.”
He fasted that day and instructed his Companions to fast it too. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2004; Sahih Muslim, 1130)
This is the foundation of Ashura fasting in Islam. It is a fast of gratitude. A fast of solidarity with all the Prophets of Allah. A fast that connects you, across thousands of years, to the moment Musa (AS) stood at the edge of the sea and trusted Allah completely.
The Prophet ﷺ never missed fasting the day of Ashura and encouraged Muslims to fast it as well. That consistency speaks for itself.
The reward of fasting Ashura is specific, confirmed, and extraordinary.
Abu Qatadah (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on the Day of Ashura. He said: “I hope from Allah that it will expiate the sins of the year before it.” (Sahih Muslim, 1162)
One day of fasting. One full year of minor sins expiated.
Fasting on Ashura was initially obligatory for Muslims before the prescription of Ramadan as the month of obligatory fasting. After Ramadan became obligatory, fasting on Ashura became a highly recommended act.
Ibn Abbas (RA) said: “I never saw the Prophet ﷺ giving preference to any day for fasting and preferring it over others except for this day, the Day of Ashura, and this month, Ramadan.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2000)
The Prophet ﷺ prioritised Ashura fasting above every other voluntary fast in the year. That alone is enough reason to protect these days in your calendar.
This is where many Muslims fall short. They fast on Ashura but miss Tasu’a.
Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that when the Prophet ﷺ fasted on Ashura and instructed his Companions to do the same, they said: “O Messenger of Allah, this is a day that the Jews and Christians honour.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “If I live until the next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth day too.” (Sahih Muslim, 1134)
He did not live to see the next Muharram. But his intention was clear. He wanted to fast both the 9th and the 10th together.
Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that the wisdom behind fasting Tasu’a alongside Ashura is to differ from the Jews, who fast only on the tenth. Ibn Taymiyyah also noted that the Prophet ﷺ prohibited resembling the People of the Book in many narrations.
Fasting Tasu’a is therefore an act of following the intended Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. He expressed this intention clearly. Following it earns you the reward of his example, even though he did not live to fulfil it himself.
Some scholars recommend fasting the 11th of Muharram alongside Ashura, rather than the 9th. This is to ensure you differ from the People of the Book regardless of whether the moon sighting falls a day early or late.
The scholarly positions are as follows:
Most recommended: Fast the 9th and 10th together (Tasu’a and Ashura). This is the majority scholarly position, based on the explicit intention of the Prophet ﷺ.
Also valid: Fast the 10th and 11th together. This is the position of some Shafi’i scholars and is considered a sound option.
Minimum recommended: Fast the 10th alone. This is valid and earns the full reward of Ashura fasting. However, it is less than the full Sunnah.
Most complete: Fast the 9th, 10th, and 11th together. Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned this option as the most comprehensive observance.
The bottom line is simple. Fast at least on the 10th. Add the 9th if you can. Add the 11th if you want to observe the most complete Sunnah.
This is one of the most searched questions about Muharram fasting, and the answer may surprise you.
There is no fixed number of days required. Muharram fasting is entirely voluntary. You can fast one day, two days, three days, or the entire month. Each day carries the reward of thirty days of fasting.
Scholars encourage Muslims to fast as generously as they can throughout Muharram, with particular emphasis on the 9th and 10th, or 10th and 11th of the month.
A practical approach for Muharram 1448 looks like this:
Minimum: Fast on 25 June 2026 (Ashura, 10th Muharram)
Recommended: Fast on 24 and 25 June 2026 (Tasu’a and Ashura, 9th and 10th Muharram)
Most complete: Fast on 24, 25, and 26 June 2026 (9th, 10th, and 11th Muharram)
For maximum reward: Add as many additional days throughout Muharram as your health and circumstances allow. Each day earns thirty times its reward.
No. Fasting in Muharram is a highly recommended Sunnah. It is not obligatory. Leaving it does not carry sin. But observing it carries exceptional reward. The Prophet ﷺ himself consistently fasted Ashura, which indicates its importance.
Yes. You can fast voluntarily while still owing missed Ramadan fasts. However, making up missed Ramadan fasts carries its own obligation. Scholars recommend prioritising Ramadan make-up fasts where possible.
Yes. Fasting Ashura alone is fully valid and earns the full reward of expiation for the previous year’s minor sins. Adding Tasu’a is the more complete Sunnah. It is not compulsory.
Fasting in Muharram is voluntary. There is no obligation to make it up. If you cannot fast, increase your other acts of worship during this month. Give Sadaqah. Make extra dhikr. These, too, carry amplified reward in a sacred month.
No. The expiation from Ashura fasting covers minor sins only. Major sins require specific repentance (tawbah) directly to Allah. The scholars are clear on this point.
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Give food to a hungry family. Fund clean water for a community in need. Support an orphan who has no one. Every pound you give during these sacred days carries the weight of a year’s worth of charity.
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