Muharram: The Sacred Month of Islam, Its History, Prayers, and How to Observe It

Every year, as the month of Dhu al-Hijjah comes to an end, Muslims worldwide welcome a new Islamic year. Muharram marks the beginning of this new year, one of the holiest months, it is also one of the four holy months that Allah values higher than the others. This time of silence and reflection provides the opportunity to start the new year with a pure heart and integrate prayers and good deeds into our actions

This guide explains to you what Muharram is, when it begins in 2026, why it is so popular, the meaning of meritorious prayers, fasting and Ashura, and simple but effective customs that will also bring you many blessings in this month.

The first ten days of Muharram are especially blessed, building up to the Day of Ashura. They're the perfect window to reset your habits for the year ahead. You don't need to do anything complicated. The acts the Prophet ﷺ loved most are simple ones: fasting, voluntary (nafl) prayers, remembering Allah (SWT), reading the Qur'an, and giving in charity. A little, done sincerely and often, goes a long way.

The Fast of Muharram: Virtues of Fasting in This Sacred Month

Fasting is the most encouraged act of worship in Muharram. As we saw above, the Prophet ﷺ called it the best fast after Ramadan [Sahih Muslim]. And the reward for fasting the Day of Ashura is remarkable. He ﷺ said that fasting on Ashura "expiates the sins of the previous year." [Sahih Muslim] One day fasting is to erase all sins which have committed within one whole year.To gain the most reward, scholars recommend pairing Ashura with the day before or after it, so fasting the 9th and 10th, or the 10th and 11th. This follows the practice the Prophet ﷺ intended when he said, "If I live to the next year, I will fast the ninth as well." [Sahih Muslim] So in 2026, you could fast on:

• The 9th and 10th (Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June), or

• The 10th and 11th (Thursday 25 and Friday 26 June) Fasting Ashura on its own is still valid and rewarded, but adding a second day is the fuller way to follow the Sunnah.

Recommended Dhikr, Duas, and Good Deeds in the First Ten Days

Fasting isn't the only way to make these days count. There's a whole list of simple good deeds that bring you closer to Allah (SWT) in Muharram:

• Seek forgiveness (istighfar). Begin the year with a clean slate by turning back to Allah (SWT) and asking Him to forgive what's gone before.

• Make dhikr. Keep your tongue moist with remembrance: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illAllah, Allahu Akbar.

• Make du'a. This is a beautiful time to ask Allah (SWT) for the year ahead: for your family, your health, your iman, and the Ummah.

• Read the Qur'an. Even a few verses a day builds a habit you can carry through all twelve months.

• Set good intentions. Just as many people make New Year's resolutions, use the Islamic New Year to decide on one or two habits you'd like to build, and one or two you'd like to leave behind.

• Give in charity. Sadaqah in a sacred month is reward multiplied, and it's one of the easiest good deeds to keep going all month long. That last one carries a special weight in Muharram, and there's a reason why. To understand it, we need to look at the day at the heart of this month.

Why Is Muharram Called the Month of Allah?

Muharram is known as "the month of Allah" because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ honoured it with that very title. He ﷺ said: "The best fasting after the month of Ramadan is the month of Allah, al-Muharram." [Sahih Muslim] Think about that for a moment. Out of all twelve months, this is the one the Prophet ﷺ linked directly to the name of Allah (SWT), a sign of just how blessed it is. Allah does not attach His name to something small. It's an invitation to make the most of every single day, establish good habits, because the reward on offer is greater than usual.

Youm e Ashura: The 10th of Muharram and Its Deep Significance in Islam

Ashura falls on the 10th day of the month of Muharram and is the most important day of this month The word "Ashura" in Arabic means "ten" This day is of great importance due to the events in Islamic history The most famous is the rescue of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and the people of Israel. Allah parted the sea and saved them from Phiraun and his army.

Out of gratitude Musa later, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Medina, learned of this story and fasted on Ashura himself to encourage Muslims to this fast. It is also said, for these reasons, fasting on Ashura has become a popular Sunnah, and every year on the 10th of Muharram, many Muslims look forward to this day of gratitude, reflection and asking for forgiveness.

Shahadat of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA): The Sunni Perspective on Karbala

The 10 th Muharram is the day of one of the saddest chapters of our history, the day of martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA). The beloved grandson of our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and son of Ali (RA) and Fatimah (RA), Imam Hussain (RA), with a small group of family and companions were in 61 AH in Karbala in what is now Iraq against Yazid and his enormous army where they were cut off and refused water for days under the scorching sun. On this Day of Ashura, Imam Hussain (RA) along with many of the men of the Prophet's family were brutally martyred. For Sunni Muslims, loving Imam Hussain (RA) and the family of the Prophet is a fundamental belief itself. In every salah we pray to Allah (SWT) to bless them with his peace and prayers.

Therefore the martyrdom pains us deeply. However we also view this in a way that it wasn't a failure in the path of Allah (SWT). Hussain (RA) was actually a winner; not because of his martyrdom, but through his martyrdom for he refused to budge when it cost him all. And how do we commemorate him, not only by remembering but by taking on his values of sacrifice.

How to Give Sadaqah in Muharram: Donate a Water Well in the Name of Allah

There's one detail from Karbala that stays with us - Imam Hussain (RA) and his family were denied water in the desert before their martyrdom. As we said, the truest way to honor that sacrifice isn't only to remember it. It's to carry its spirit forward by giving. And what better way to do that in this month than to give the very thing they were denied? In a sacred month that remembers that thirst, providing clean water to someone who has none becomes one of the most meaningful things you can do. Charity in a sacred month is already multiplied in reward.

But water holds a special place in Islam. When Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah (RA) asked, "O Messenger of Allah, which charity is best?" the Prophet ﷺ replied simply: "Water." So Sa'd went and dug a well, and dedicated it to his late mother. [Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah] You can follow in those footsteps today.

Through our Water for Life programme, you can give clean, safe water to families who currently walk miles for every drop, and you can dedicate it in the name of Allah (SWT), or in the name of a loved one who has passed, so the reward reaches them too. The impact is real and lasting:

• A hand pump can serve up to 40 people with clean water every day.

• A community water well can serve up to 200 families for years to come. And because providing water to the needy is Zakat-applicable, you can fulfil your obligation and give the gift of water at the same time. Our 100% Zakat Policy means every single penny of your Zakat reaches those who need it most, giving you 100% of the reward. [CTA: Donate a Water Well (Water for Life)]