Download PDF: [S] Fasting on the 10th of Muharram (Islamic story)

Abu Yusuf Yaqub bin Yusuf narrates that, “I once had a friend who was very pious and noble. However, merely to conceal himself from people, he used to say to everyone that he was a great sinner and a very bad person. He used to wear ordinary clothing and adopted the guise of someone who was a great sinner. He had also performed the Tawaaf of the Ka’ba for nearly ten years with me and he used to make Iftaar one day and fasted one day. I was also someone who fasted every day and he used to tell me that I would not receive reward for this because my Nafs had become used to this.

 

“On the other hand, he used to keep fast for the entire ten days of Muharram. He then passed away a few days later when we were in a desolate area. I went around trying to prepare for his funeral arrangements and when I returned that I noticed that there were many people already around his body.

 

“In fact it, was difficult for me to even approach his body. I was also surprised as to how these people had suddenly come to know of the death of this person. I realised that indeed, he had a great status in the Divine Court of the Almighty Allah.

 

“When he passed away, I saw him in Jannah and asked how he had been treated. He told to me that all of this was because of him keeping fast on the tenth of Muharram.

 

“I also once saw him in a dream and he was surrounded by the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – and the four rightly guided Khulafah and he mentioned that they were going to visit someone. I was certainly surprised at the high rank which he had received in the Divine Court of Allah Almighty and realized that this was also because of the Barakah of keeping fast in the first ten days of Muharram.”

 

Such is the state of the Awliya. Another important factor which we come to realize from this story is the manner in which they endeavour to hide and conceal themselves so that they do not become famous in this world. It is quite obvious that one of the evils of this publicity is a person generally tends to suffer from self-conceit and this is something which the Awliya have always avoided. There are many Awliya who have lived among people but it is only when they pass away that people come to know of their true identity. They worship the Almighty is such a manner that ordinary people are not aware of their Ibadah either during the day or during the night. Numerous incidents have been recorded about their eminent lives and behaviour. This is also one of those Saints.