Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 1134 a
sahih

Ibn 'Abbas reported that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fasted on the day of 'Ashura and commanded that it should he observed as a fast, they (his Companions) said to him:

Messenger of Allah, it is a day which the Jews and Christians hold in high esteem. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When the next year comes, God willing, we would observe fast on the 9th But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died before the advent of the next year.

وَحَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنِي إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا غَطَفَانَ بْنَ طَرِيفٍ الْمُرِّيَّ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ، بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ - رضى الله عنهما - يَقُولُ حِينَ صَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ يَوْمٌ تُعَظِّمُهُ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ فَإِذَا كَانَ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ - إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ - صُمْنَا الْيَوْمَ التَّاسِعَ ‏

‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَأْتِ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم.

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 13, Hadith 172
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 6, Hadith 2528 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The day of ‘Āshūrā’ is the tenth day of Muharram, and the Quraysh used to fast it. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madīnah, he fasted it as a usual practice and commanded that it be fasted. Its fasting was obligatory before Ramadan, and when the fasting of Ramadan was ordained upon the Muslims, only the fasting of Ramadan became the obligatory one, and the fasting of ‘Āshūrā’ became optional; whoever wished could fast it, and whoever wished could leave it. In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasted the day of ‘Āshūrā’ and enjoined his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast it, they said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, this is a day on which the Jews and the Christians extol" by fasting too. This is because it is a day in which Allah saved Moses (Mūsa) (peace be upon him) from Pharaoh and his soldiers. Indeed, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) mentioned that to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because it was known that he would mostly intend to differ from the Jews and the Christians. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections, said: "We are more entitled to Moses than them. So, fast it" i.e., by agreeing with him in gratitude to Allah Almighty and feeling happy for his salvation. This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) accords with him over the basis of the religion. As for the Jews, they engaged in distortion, change, and alteration. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasted it and commanded the people to fast it. On the merit of fasting this day, a Hadīth narrated in the Sahīh Muslim Collection mentions that it expiates the sins of the preceding year. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) determined to fast the ninth day along with the tenth one to differ from the People of the Book in their observance of fasting on the tenth day only. Ibn ‘Abbās said that before the following year came, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had passed away. The Hadīth points out that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to differ from the Jews and the Christians. It demonstrates the significance of the day of ‘Āshūrā’ and how the Muslims value it highly..
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