Tafsir of Surat Al-Mā`ūn & Importance of Muharram & Ashura

Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi's explicit lecture on the Tafsir of Surah Al-Ma`un and the prominence of the month of Muharram and Ashura makes for a very interesting listen. “So woe to those who pray (but) who are heedless of their prayer - Those who make show (of their deeds)” [Surat Al-Ma`un, verses 4-6] In these verses, Allah SWT admonishes those that do pray Salah but don't pay attention to it. They do not pay heed to the spiritual aspect of Salah and hence, khushoo in Salah is lost. Surely, Allah deserves infinite more respect when we stand in front of Him for Salah. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah RA said, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:“The best fasting after Ramadan is the month of Allah Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “For fasting the day of Ashura, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.” Ibn Abbas RA said, “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached Medina, he found the Jews fasting the Day of Ashura, so he asked them, ‘What is this day you are fasting?’ They said, ‘This is a tremendous day. Allah saved Musa and his people on this day and drowned Pharaoh and his people. Musa fasted it out of thanks, so we fast it too.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘And we are more deserving of Musa than you are.’ So he fasted this day, and ordered that it be fasted.” It is narrated by Ibn Abbas RA that the Prophet ﷺ said,“Fast the Day of ‘Ashura and be different from the Jews by fasting a day before it or a day after it.” The virtues of Muharram and Ashura are highlighted and we are acquainted with it in an elaborate manner.