Yaumul 'Asyurah And Yum Kippur

Thank GOD who blessed us to see another year, 1432.
The first month, Muharram, is here, and today is the tenth of Muharram 1432 A.H.

The tenth day in the month of Muharram, Yaumul 'Asyurah, saw the victory of  Prophet Moses a.s.  and his people over the Egyptian Pharoah at around 1446 BC.  

"Recall that we saved you from Pharaoh's people who inflicted upon you the worst persecution, slaying your sons and sparing your daughters. That was an exacting test from your Lord.

Recall that we parted the sea for you; we saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people before your eyes." - AlQur'an 2:49 - 50

As Muharram is so called, the month's name is derived from the word haram (forbidden), and in this month, it is forbidden to wage hostility, instead, it was encouraged to reach a compromise.
This month is one of the four sacred months, beside Rejab, Dzulkaedah and Dzuhijjah.
The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. had been fasting on the tenth of Muharram when in Mecca.

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When The Prophet s.a.w. migrated to the city of Yathrib, which soon renamed Medinah, 320 kilometres north of Mecca, Muhammad s.a.w. found out the Jews in Medinah religiously went through their Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, marking the Kippur with a big dinner, and would follow it with 25 hours of fasting from sundown to sun-up, prayer, reflection and meditation, in order to seek repentance for their sins.

They said: "It is the day of great significance when God delivered Musa a.s. and his people and drowned Pharoah and his people, and Musa a.s. observed fast out of gratitude. And we also observe it." 

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is also remembering Prophet Moses a.s. on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei in the Jewish calender.

Yom Kippur is to be a solemn holiday.
It is also one of the holiest days of the year for the Jewish for atonement and repentance for according to the Jews, God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into a book, the Book of Life, on Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, which is ten days before Yom Kippur, and waits until Yom Kippur for the final verdict being sealed.

Unlike the regular three daily prayers by the Jews, Shacharit, the morning prayer, Mincha, the afternoon prayer and Ma'ariv, the evening prayer, Yom Kippur has five prayer - Shacharit, Mincha, Ma'ariv, Musaf and Ne'ilah, the concluding prayer.  

Ne'ila is a special Jewish prayer service, usually runs about an hour, held only on Yom Kippur, when final prayers of repentance are recited, beside the evening and day of Yom Kippur which is set aside for confessions of guilt, either in public or in private.

Repentance and forgiveness conclude the locking and closing of Yom Kippur.

There is a tone of desperation in Ne'ila prayers, as it is referred to the closing of the gates, the 'last chance' to get in a good word before Yom Kippur ends, after which the shofar, used for religious purpose, a horn, traditionally that of a ram, is blown at the end of Ne'ila.

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The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. responded to the fasting Jews: 
"We have more right, and we have closer connection with Prophet Musa a.s. than you have."  

‘Asyurah is a day of great historical significance.
- Whoever fasts on this day is like one who fasts all his life.
- Whoever provides generously for his family, ALLAH s.w.t. will be generous to him throughout the year.
- Whoever clothes a naked person ALLAH s.w.t. will release him from a painful punishment.
- He who feeds a hungry person or gives water to a thirsty man, ALLAH s.w.t. will feed him a feast from Paradise and will quench his thirst with Salsabil.
- He who visits the sick, ALLAH s.w.t. will reward him that will not decreased.
- Those who apply kohl to the eyes will never suffer from eye-sore again, GOD willing, and 
- Whoever takes a sunnah 'Asyurah bath on this day will enjoy excellent health and freedom from sickness and indolence. 
GOD, Bless us to perform good deeds. Ameen.

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The Prophet s.a.w. observed fasting on Yaumul ‘Asyurah and gave us orders to observe it.  
The Prophet s.a.w. who had been fasting on 'Asyurah Day told His Companions about the 'Asyurah fast, and His sunnah for us to fast on 'Asyurah Day.

In Sahih Muslim, Abu Qatada r.a. relates that The Prophet s.a.w said that the fast on the 10th of Muharram atones for the sins of the preceding year and Abu Hurairah r.a. reports that The Prophet s.a.w. said that after Ramadhan, the fasts of Muharram have the greatest excellence.  

Mu`awiyyah ibn Abi Sufyan reported that he heard the Messenger of ALLAH s.w.t. say: 
"Concerning the day of `Asyura’, it is not obligatory upon you to fast on it as I do. 
Whoever wishes may fast and whoever does not wish to is not obliged to do so" - Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

But The Prophet s.a.w. recommended that we fast on this day, by His sunnah. 

Abu Hurairah r.a. reported: 
"I asked the Prophet: 'Which Prayer is the best after the obligatory Prayers?' 
He said: 'Prayer during the mid of the night.' 
I asked: 'Which fasting is the best after that of Ramadhan?' 
He said, 'The month of ALLAH that you call Muharram’" - Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Daud.

Towards the end of His life, Muhammad s.a.w. told the believers to add the 9th day, thus, it is recommended to fast on both the 9th and 10th of Muharram. 
He also indicated how we should observe the fast of Yaumul ‘Asyurah.

In Sahih Muslim, Hakam ibn AlArat r.a. relates:
I went to Ibn Abbas r.a....
"I said to Him: Tell me about fasting on ‘Asyurah.
He said, "When you seen the new moon of Muharram count the (days) and (begin to) observe fast on the 9th."
I said to him: "Is it how the Holy Messenger of ALLAH s.w.t. observed the fast?"
He said, "Yes.".

The book of The Prophet s.a.w.'s sayings also stated that Ibn Abbas r.a. relates that when The Holy Nabi s.a.w said:
"If I survive till next year, I will definitely observe fast on the 9th of Muharram (as well)."

It is advisable that the 'Asyurah fast should either be preceded or followed by another fast.
One should fast two days - the 9th and 10th of Muharram or the 10th and 11th.

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Yom Kippur is observed nationally, and is a national holiday in Israel where the country came to a virtual standstill as Israelis across the country began observing the holiest day of their calendar after the ten day period of soul searching that began with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah.

Most of them spend their holiday in the synagogue, in prayer.

It  is observed by many, even though most Israelis are not Orthodox, these seculars set aside the day to 'afflict the soul', to atone for the sins of the past year.

Their mass synagogue attendance caused synagogue attendance to soar as this day is essentially the day of the last appeal, the last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate the repentance and make amends.

On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed.
Divine judgment of Jews is sealed and their fate is thus decided for the coming year.

The country almost stood on a standstill during the holy day with deafening silence. 

This year, Jewish Year 5771, Yom Kippur began on sunset September 17, 2010 till the nightfall of September 18, 2010.

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Although there is no legal prohibition on eating in public but in practice, such action is frowned upon, and is considered impolite to eat in public on Yom Kippur, although they do not fast.

For those who fast, it means undergoing the complete 25-hour fast, refraining from eating and drinking even plain water, beginning before sunset on the evening before, and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur.

For the strict Talmud followers, additional restrictions are imposed on them, being prohibited to wash, bath, using of cosmetics or deodorants, wearing leather shoes and engaging in maritasexual relations are all prohibited on Yom Kippur.

It is customary to wear white, symbolising purity, on Yom Kippur.
Some people wear a kittel, the white robe in which the dead are buried.

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Airports are shut down, planes are grounded, none in the sky, and all public transportation is halted.
There is no public transportation nor driving a motor vehicle.
Cars disappeared from roads and highways become empty, used mainly by children on bicycles seizing the rare opportunity to ride in the middle of the street.

Over the last few decades, bicycle-riding and inline skating on the empty streets has become a new tradition.

Emergency driving of cars are likely to be pelted with stones.

Stores, shops, cafes, all businesses are closed.

Yum Kippur sees the day when all Israeli radio and TV broadcasts go off air - No radio or television broadcasts and most likely, the Jews will not go online too, all cooped up with their atonement and their repentance.

How will our Yaumul 'Asyurah today going to be?