Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab had sent (the following message) to al-Harith ibn Hisham, ''Tomorrow is the day of Ashura, so fast (it) and tell your family to fast (also)."

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، أَرْسَلَ إِلَى الْحَارِثِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ أَنَّ غَدًا، يَوْمُ عَاشُورَاءَ فَصُمْ وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ أَنْ يَصُومُوا ‏.‏