I came to Ibn 'Abbas who was leaning against his sheet of cloth in the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haram). I asked him about fasting on the day of 'Ashurah. He said: When you sight the moon of al-Muharram, count (the days). When the 9th of Muharram comes, fast from the morning. I said: Would Muhammad (ﷺ) observe this fast ? He replied: Thus Muhammad (ﷺ) used to fast.
Hadith Text & Context
The narrator approaches the eminent Companion Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in the sacred precincts of Masjid al-Haram to inquire about the specific practice of fasting on the Day of Ashura (10th of Muharram).
Scholarly Commentary
Ibn Abbas instructs to begin tracking the lunar month from the sighting of the Muharram moon. His directive to fast on the 9th demonstrates the Sunnah practice of differentiating from the Jewish custom of fasting only on the 10th.
The phrase "fast from the morning" indicates the fast begins at Fajr (dawn), as is standard for all Islamic fasts, and continues until Maghrib (sunset).
When asked if Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) observed this, Ibn Abbas affirms this was the Prophet's established practice, giving the ruling the highest religious authority in Islam.
Legal Rulings & Recommendations
The preferred method is to fast both the 9th and 10th of Muharram. If one cannot fast both days, fasting only the 10th remains valid but misses the complete Sunnah.
Scholars differ on fasting only the 9th: the Shafi'i school permits it, while the Hanafi school considers it disliked without the 10th.
This hadith establishes that fasting on Ashura was practiced by the Prophet (ﷺ) and remains a confirmed Sunnah until the Day of Judgment.
Source Reference
Book: Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)
Author: Sunan Abi Dawud
Hadith: Sunan Abi Dawud 2446