10 Muharram
Ashura: the 10th of Muharram
In the coming year it is expected on Tuesday 15 June 2027 (10 Muharram 1449 AH). Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram, a day of fasting in the Sunnah.
Day of Ashura: dates for the coming years
| Hijri | Date |
|---|---|
| 10 Muharram 1447 AH | Saturday 5 July 2025 |
| 10 Muharram 1448 AH | Thursday 25 June 2026 |
| 10 Muharram 1449 AH | Tuesday 15 June 2027 |
| 10 Muharram 1450 AH | Saturday 3 June 2028 |
| 10 Muharram 1451 AH | Wednesday 23 May 2029 |
| 10 Muharram 1452 AH | Monday 13 May 2030 |
| 10 Muharram 1453 AH | Friday 2 May 2031 |
Dates follow the Umm al-Qura calendar. Countries that rely on sighting the crescent may begin a month one day later (or earlier).
Why Muslims fast on Ashura
When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah he found the Jews fasting on this day because Allah saved Musa (Moses) and the Children of Israel from Pharaoh on it. He said: “We are closer to Musa than you,” and fasted it and ordered it to be fasted (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
The reward and the 9th
Asked about the fast of Ashura, the Prophet ﷺ said: “I hope that Allah will expiate through it the sins of the previous year” (Sahih Muslim). He also said that if he lived to the next year he would fast the ninth as well (Sahih Muslim), so it is recommended to fast the 9th and the 10th, or the 10th and the 11th.
A day of remembrance
Ashura is also the day on which al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali, the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ, was martyred at Karbala in 61 AH, an event that all Muslims remember with sorrow.
Day of Ashura: questions
Is fasting Ashura obligatory?
No. It was obligatory before the fast of Ramadan was prescribed; since then it is a highly recommended Sunnah.
Can I fast only the 10th?
Yes, the fast is valid, but adding the 9th (or the 11th) follows the wish expressed by the Prophet ﷺ.