Wus'at on family in Aashura

Spending Freely Upon One’s Family on the Day of ‘Āshūrā’ (10th Muharram)

It has been mentioned in one Ḥadīth that Rasūlullāh sallallāh ‘alayhi wa sallam said,

من وسَّع علي عياله يوم عاشوراء وسع الله عليه سائر السنة

“Whosoever spends generously upon his family members on the day of ‘Āshūrā’, Allāh will deal with him expansively throughout the year.”

Badruddīn Zarkashī comments on this statement by saying, “This Ḥadīth is not proven, It is only a saying of Ibn al Muntashir.”

Ibn al Jawzī included this very statement in his ‘Al Mawḍū’āt’ and has further highlighted that it has been narrated from Sulemān Ibn Abī ‘Abdillāh who is Maj’hūl (unknown narrator).

However, Ibn Ḥabbān has mentioned Sulemān in the same breath as those narrators who are considered to be Thiqaat, Reliable according to the scholars of Ḥadīth.

Furthermore, Al-‘Irāqī said the Ḥadīth in discussion has a chain which is equivalent in its stature to the chains of Ḥadīth brought by Imām Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ. This has further been mentioned in ‘Al-Istidhkār’ of Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr.

As-Suyūṭī has said, “Bayhaqī has narrated this Ḥadīth in Sh’ub al-Imān from Abū Hurayrah, Ibn Mas’ūd, Abū Sa’īd Khudrī and Jabir raḍīallāhu ‘anhum. Although the chains of these narrations are Ḍa’īf (weak), they are strengthened in their authenticity when put together.

Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar says the Ḥadīth is Ḥasan (of relatively good authenticity) (Kashf al-Khifā pg.284)

Ibn Rajab narrates from Sufyan Ibn ‘Uyaynah who mentions his own experience. He says,

جرَّبناه منذ خمسين سنة فما وجدنا الا خيرا”
We have experienced this for the past 50 odd years and we did not ascertain anything by it but good.”

When discussing the ruling regarding dhaeef Hadith, Ibn Taymiyah has said that when something is established in the Sharī’ah and a Ḍa’īf Ḥadīth is then utilised to strengthen it; then that Ḍa’īf Ḥadīth should hold some regard.

For example, voluntary prayers are recommended by the Sharī’ah. Hence when we see the Ḥadīth of Ṣalāh at-Tasbīḥ, we should use it even if it was considered to be Ḍa’īf.

The topic in contention pertains to generous spending upon one’s family which is recommended by our faith.

Rasūlullāh sallallāh ‘alayhi wa sallam has echoed this very message in other instances which are found in the books of Ḥadīth:

و أنفق علي عيالك من طولك (مشكوة “
And spend on your family from your wealth.” (Mishkāh al-Maṣābīḥ)

افضل الدينار دينار انفقته علي عيالك (مسلم)
“The best Dīnār is that Dīnār which one of you spend on your family.” (Muslim)

In conclusion, the Ḥadīth in regards to spending freely on the family members on the Day of ‘Āshūrā’ should be given due consideration as opposed to being ignored.

Family members will include parents, wife, children, all dependants and those closely connected to a person.

NB. Many aspects of our Deen have been passed on to us through the hard work of our elders and today people class them as bid’at. This is a great tragedy for the ummah, that people with little or no knowledge go around putting labels of ‘bid’at’ on many aspects of Deen which are out of their grasp. This is extremely damaging and it should stop.

I remember when I used to study at Darul Uloom in 1983/84, our Hazrat mawlana yusuf motala saheb used to give out £1 to every member of our class. Even though he might not have been well off, but he used to care for us, cheer us up and also prepare some special food for the whole madrasa. Everyone would be fasting, and then at Iftar time, the atmosphere would simply be amazing.

I would also add that since whatever a person spends on the family is Sadaqah, they should remember the Ahle Bayt of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and make dua that Allah sends the reward of this Sadaqah to sayyiduna Hasan, Hussain, sayyiduna Ali sayyidatuna Fatima Zahra, All the shuhadaa of Karbala (who were roughly 70) and to sayyiduna wa mawlana Muhammadur Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

May Allah give us tawfeeq to practice upon what we preach. May Allah accept our humble efforts through the Barakah of sadaate Ahle Bayt and may Allah shower His choicest blessings and mercy upon sarkaare do alam, rahmate do jahaan, aqaae naam daar, taajdaare Madina, Ahmed Mujtaba, Muhammad Mustafa, Rahmatul lil Alameen, Shafiul Mudhnibeen, Sayyidul Mursaleen, Imamul Muttaqeen, Khatamun Nabiyyeen Sayyiduna wa Mawlana Muhammadur Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, as well as upon all his family members and his descendants, those who have passed away and those who are still alive.

Ameen Ameen Ameen ya Rabbal Alameen Bi Rahmatika Ya Arhamarrahimeen.

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Written by AR edited by ml A Subhan