The virtue of fasting Muharram

Abu Haraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

The most excellent fast after Ramadan is God's month. al-Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is prayer during the night.

حَدَّثَنِي قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، الْحِمْيَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ أَفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ بَعْدَ رَمَضَانَ شَهْرُ اللَّهِ الْمُحَرَّمُ وَأَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ ‏

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Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that he (the Messenger of Allah) was asked as to which prayer was most excellent after the prescribed prayer, and which fast was most excellent after the month of Ramadan. He said:

Prayer offered in the middle of the night and the most excellent fast after (fasting) in the month of Ramadan is the fast in God's month al-Muharram.

وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ، الْمُنْتَشِرِ عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، - رضى الله عنه - يَرْفَعُهُ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَىُّ الصَّلاَةِ أَفْضَلُ بَعْدَ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَأَىُّ الصِّيَامِ أَفْضَلُ بَعْدَ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ ‏

‏ أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ الصَّلاَةُ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ وَأَفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ بَعْدَ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ صِيَامُ شَهْرِ اللَّهِ الْمُحَرَّمِ ‏

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A hadith like this has been reported from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) by 'Abd al-Malik with the same chain of transmitters in connection with fast.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ فِي ذِكْرِ الصِّيَامِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ بِمِثْلِهِ ‏.‏