We are congratulating the new Islamic Hijri year, Month of Muharram, and the Day of Ashura. 10 Muharram is the Day of Ashura, and we hope that the blessing and Barakah of Allah will shower upon us all and mankind will eventually regain the piece he has been looking for a long time.
Muharram is the sacred month of Allah, and it is a blessed and important month. Our beloved Prophet said, “For fasting the day of ‘Ashura,’ I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.” [Muslim]
Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Prophet came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of ‘Ashura.’ He said: ‘What is this?’ They (Jews) said: ‘This is a righteous day, it is the day when Allah saved the children of Israel from their enemies, so Mousa (Moses) fasted on this day.’ He said: ‘We have more right to Mousa than you,’ so he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day.” [Al-Bukhari]
For this reason, we should act according to Sunnah and Hadiths, and we should not waste our time. In the beginning of each year, businessmen check their records and accounts and revise and set plans to avoid future losses and maximize their profits. Our only capital is our lives, and we are consuming it day by day. So, what prevents us to think of reviewing our own records and accounts in terms of good and bad deeds? We should review our own deeds, fast, and pray as best as we can.
Especially during the first 10 days of Moharram, we can visit our neighbours, help the poor, announce publicly the importance of these days in our communities. More important for us as Halal certifying bodies is that we can give speeches and lectures to public on the vitality of consuming Halal and Tayyib.
Let us not forget that we should be the good examples and our real Hijra should be staying away from non-Halal and Haram.
Wassalam.