Muharram: Islamic New Year, Ashura & Its Significance

By the Editorial Team · reviewed against our sources · updated September 2026 · guidance, not a fatwa

What is Muharram?

Muharram is the opening month of the lunar Islamic calendar. Its name comes from the Arabic root meaning “forbidden” or “sacred,” reflecting its status as a month in which fighting was traditionally prohibited among the Arabs even before Islam, a prohibition that Islam affirmed for the sacred months. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, Muharram — like every Hijri month — moves earlier by roughly ten to twelve days each year relative to the Gregorian calendar, and its exact start depends on the sighting of the new moon. For this reason, the corresponding Gregorian date shifts annually, and communities in different regions may begin the month a day apart depending on local sighting.

One of the four sacred months

The Qur’an states that Allah made twelve months, of which four are sacred. These four are Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. During these months, good deeds carry heightened reward and wrongdoing is regarded as especially serious. Muharram holds a particular honour: the Prophet ﷺ is reported in authentic collections to have described it as “the sacred month of Allah.”

The Islamic New Year

The first of Muharram begins a new Hijri year. The calendar itself dates from the Hijrah — the Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah — which was adopted as the starting point of the Islamic era during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA). The Islamic New Year is generally a quiet, reflective occasion rather than a festival; there is no specific act of worship prescribed for the day itself, though many use it as a moment to reflect on the passing of time and renew good intentions.

The Day of Ashura (the 10th)

The tenth day of Muharram is called Ashura, from the Arabic word for “ten.” It is the most significant day of the month. The Prophet ﷺ observed its fast and encouraged his companions to do the same, and its virtue is affirmed in the major hadith collections.

The story of Musa and Pharaoh

According to a narration in Sahih al-Bukhari, when the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah he found the Jewish community fasting on Ashura. They explained that it was the day on which Allah saved Musa (Moses) and the Children of Israel from Pharaoh. The Prophet ﷺ said that he had more right to Musa than they did, and he fasted the day and instructed the Muslims to fast it as well. This connects Ashura to a broader tradition of gratitude for Allah’s deliverance of the righteous.

The virtue of fasting Ashura

The Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on the Day of Ashura and, as narrated in Sahih Muslim, indicated that it expiates the sins of the preceding year. Scholars generally explain that this refers to minor sins, while major sins require sincere repentance. Fasting Ashura is a voluntary act — a recommended Sunnah rather than an obligation — and its reward is considered immense relative to the ease of a single day’s fast.

Fasting the 9th and 10th (or 10th and 11th)

Authentic narrations record that near the end of his life the Prophet ﷺ expressed the intention to fast the ninth alongside the tenth in the following year, in order to distinguish the Muslim practice. On this basis, scholars recommend fasting two days: ideally the 9th and 10th (Tasu’a and Ashura), or alternatively the 10th and 11th. Fasting the 10th alone remains valid and rewarding, but pairing it with an adjacent day is considered more complete. Because the start of Muharram depends on moon sighting, you should confirm the exact dates with your local mosque or moon-sighting authority.

Ashura and the remembrance of Husayn (RA)

For many Muslims, the 10th of Muharram is also associated with the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ, who was killed at Karbala in the year 61 AH. This is a deeply significant event across the Muslim world and is commemorated in different ways by different communities. It is stated here simply and respectfully as a matter of history and remembrance, without entering into any sectarian dispute.

Other virtues and how to observe the month

Beyond Ashura, the Prophet ﷺ is reported in Sahih Muslim to have described voluntary fasting during Muharram as among the most virtuous fasts after the obligatory fasts of Ramadan, calling it “the sacred month of Allah.” This gives added weight to fasting on other days of the month, not only the tenth. Muslims may use Muharram to increase in prayer, charity, remembrance of Allah (dhikr), and sincere repentance for the year that has passed. As with all the sacred months, the emphasis is on sincerity and consistency rather than any single ritual, and on being especially careful to avoid wrongdoing during a time when both good and bad deeds carry greater weight.

Common misconceptions to avoid

Because Muharram carries such significance, various customs have grown up around it that are not part of the established Sunnah. There is no authentic basis for treating the first of Muharram as a festival with fireworks or special feasting, nor for specific rituals invented for the night of Ashura beyond the recommended fast. Believers are encouraged to keep their observance rooted in what is confirmed — primarily the voluntary fast — and to avoid attributing to the month practices that lack a sound source. When in doubt, it is best to ask a knowledgeable scholar rather than follow a widespread custom uncritically.

Learn more

To check the current Hijri date or plan around the sacred months, see our Islamic date today page and the Hijri date converter. For a wider overview of Islamic dates, months, and observances, visit our Islamic information hub.

This article is general educational guidance, not a fatwa. Religious rulings can vary by school of thought and individual circumstance; for decisions that affect your worship or obligations, please consult a qualified local scholar.

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