The Most Excellent Nafl FastHadith
From Abu Hurairah RaziAllahu Anhu: The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
"The most excellent fast after Ramadan is the fast in Allah's month Al-Muharram, and the most excellent Salah after the obligatory Salah is the night prayer (Tahajjud)."[Muslim]
Hazrat Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him said: After Ramadan, the most virtuous fast is the fast of Allah's month Muharram, and after the Fardh prayer, the most virtuous prayer is the Tahajjud prayer.
The month of Muharram is a month of great blessing and greatness. It has many virtues, two of which are mentioned in this Hadith Pak. First is that the Prophet PBUH attributed this month to Allah, saying it is the Month of Allah. The second virtue is that the fast of this month is the most excellent among all Nafl fasts. It means that apart from Ramadan, in the other eleven months if someone keeps a Nafl fast, the reward for fasting in the month of Muharram is very great.
The second part of the Hadith Shareef is that after the Fardh prayers, the most excellent prayer is Tahajjud. The reason is that it involves more hardship and is free from show-off (Riya). The apparent meaning of this Hadith is that Tahajjud is even more excellent than Sunnat-e-Muakkadah, and this is the opinion of Allama Shabbir Ahmad Usmani. But other Ulama say that Sunnat-e-Muakkadah is more excellent, because Sunnat-e-Muakkadah is affiliated with Faraiz, it is counted with Faraiz, so the meaning of the Hadith will be that after Faraiz and Sunnat-e-Muakkadah, the most excellent prayer is Tahajjud.
My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, listen to this beautiful Hadith of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam.
Our Prophet said, listen carefully, "The best fast after the fast of Ramadan is the fast of Muharram, which is Allah's month, and the best Salah after the obligatory Salah is the Tahajjud prayer."
My dear brothers, just think about this. Allah has given so much honor to the month of Muharram. Our Prophet did not just say Muharram, he said "Shahrullah Al-Muharram" - The Month of Allah. When Allah associates something with His own Name, its value increases so much.
My brothers, we all keep Nafl fasts on Mondays, Thursdays, 13th, 14th, 15th. All are very good. But if you want the greatest reward among all Nafl fasts, then fast in Muharram. Especially the fast of Ashura, the 10th of Muharram. The Prophet said, if you keep fast on this day, Allah will forgive the sins of the previous one year. So my brothers, do not miss the fasts of Muharram. If you can fast the whole month, it is excellent, but at least fast on the 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th.
And the second part of the Hadith, my brothers, is about Tahajjud. Today we are so lazy about Tahajjud. Our Prophet is saying, after Fardh, the best prayer is the prayer of the night. Why? Because my dear brothers, at that time everyone is sleeping. There is no show-off, no one is watching you. You leave your warm bed, make wudu in the cold, and you stand alone in front of Allah and cry. Allah loves this action so much. This is the time when Allah comes to the first heaven and says, "Is there anyone who asks Me, so I may give him?"
Some scholars say Tahajjud is even better than Sunnat-e-Muakkadah. And some say Sunnat-e-Muakkadah is still higher because it is attached to Fardh prayers. But both opinions show us one thing - that Tahajjud has a very high status.
So my request to all of you is, make a habit of these two things. Fast in the month of Muharram and wake up for at least 2 rakahs of Tahajjud. May Allah give us all the ability to act on this Hadith. Ameen.
