Does the Fast of ‘Ashura (and Arafah) Expiate Major Sins? (2)

هل صيام عاشوراء يكفر الكبائر؟

Does the Fast of ‘Ashura (and Arafah) Expiate Major Sins? (Part Two)

Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article Does the Fast of ‘Ashura (and Arafah) Expiate Major Sins? (Part Two) is included in the English Article

فَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ، وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ، لَا يَقْوَيَان عَلَى تَكْفِيرِ الصَّغَائِرِ، إِلَّا مَعَ انْضِمَامِ تَرْكِ الْكَبَائِرِ إِلَيْهَا، فَيَقْوَى مَجْمُوعُ الْأَمْرَيْنِ عَلَى تَكْفِيرِ الصَّغَائِرِ.

Thus, Ramadan to Ramadan, and Friday to Friday, are not strong enough to expiate minor sins except with the accompaniment of leaving major sins, so the combination of both matters becomes strong enough to expiate minor sins.

فَكَيْفَ يُكَفِّرُ صَوْمُ يَوْمِ تَطَوُّعٍ كُلَّ كَبِيرَةٍ عَمِلَهَا الْعَبْدُ وَهُوَ مُصِرٌّ عَلَيْهَا، غَيْرُ تَائِبٍ مِنْهَا؟ هَذَا مُحَالٌ.

So how can a voluntary fast of one day expiate every major sin a servant has committed while he persists in it, without repenting from it? This is impossible.

عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَمْتَنِعُ أَنْ يَكُونَ صَوْمُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ وَيَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ مُكَفِّرًا لِجَمِيعِ ذُنُوبِ الْعَامِ عَلَى عُمُومِهِ، وَيَكُونُ مِنْ نُصُوصِ الْوَعْدِ الَّتِي لَهَا شُرُوطٌ وَمَوَانِعُ، وَيَكُونُ إِصْرَارُهُ عَلَى الْكَبَائِرِ مَانِعًا مِنَ التَّكْفِيرِ، فَإِذَا لَمْ يُصِرَّ عَلَى الْكَبَائِرِ تَسَاعد الصَّوْم وَعَدَم الْإِصْرَارِ، وَتَعَاونَا عَلَى عُمُومِ التَّكْفِيرِ،

However, it is not precluded that the fast of the Day of Arafah and the Day of ‘Ashura expiates all the sins of the year in general, and that it falls under the texts of promise which have conditions and barriers, and his persistence in major sins acts as a barrier to the expiation. Thus, if he does not persist in major sins, the fasting and the lack of persistence reinforce each other, and they cooperate toward general expiation,

كَمَا كَانَ رَمَضَانُ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ مَعَ اجْتِنَابِ الْكَبَائِرِ مُتَسَاعِدَيْنِ مُتَعَاوِنَيْنِ عَلَى تَكْفِيرِ الصَّغَائِرِ، مَعَ أَنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ قَدْ قَالَ:

just as Ramadan and the five daily prayers along with avoiding major sins reinforce each other and cooperate toward expiating minor sins, despite the fact that He, Glorified be He, has already said:

﴿إِنْ تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ﴾ [سورة النساء: ٣١]؛

“If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins.” (Surah an-Nisa: 31);

فَعُلِمَ أَنَّ جَعْلَ الشَّيْءِ سَبَبًا لِلتَّكْفِيرِ لَا يَمْنَعُ أَنْ يَتَسَاعَدَ هُوَ وَسَبَبٌ آخَرُ عَلَى التَّكْفِيرِ، وَيَكُونُ التَّكْفِيرُ مَعَ اجْتِمَاعِ السَّبَبَيْنِ أَقْوَى وَأَتَمَّ مِنْهُ مَعَ انْفِرَادِ أَحَدِهِمَا، وَكُلَّمَا قَوِيَتْ أَسْبَابُ التَّكْفِيرِ كَانَ أَقْوَى وَأَتَمَّ وَأَشْمَلَ.” انتهى من “الجواب الكافي” (ص13).

hence it is known that making something a cause for expiation does not preclude it and another cause from reinforcing each other toward expiation. The expiation with the combination of two causes is stronger and more complete than it is with the isolation of either one of them; and whenever the causes of expiation grow stronger, it becomes more powerful, more complete, and more comprehensive.” End of quote from al-Jawab al-Kafi (p. 13).

وقد روى الترمذي (1862) عن عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

And at-Tirmidzi (1862) reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar who said: The Messenger of Allah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

مَنْ شَرِبَ الْخَمْرَ لَمْ يَقْبَلْ اللَّهُ لَهُ صَلَاةً أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنْ عَادَ لَمْ يَقْبَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ صَلَاةً أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنْ عَادَ لَمْ يَقْبَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ صَلَاةً أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنْ عَادَ الرَّابِعَةَ لَمْ يَقْبَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ صَلَاةً أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا، فَإِنْ تَابَ لَمْ يَتُبِ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَسَقَاهُ مِنْ نَهْرِ الْخَبَالِ. وصححه الألباني في “صحيح الترمذي”.

“Whoever drinks wine, Allah will not accept his prayer for forty mornings. If he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns, Allah will not accept his prayer for forty mornings. If he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns (again), Allah will not accept his prayer for forty mornings. If he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns a fourth time, Allah will not accept his prayer for forty mornings. If he repents, Allah will not accept his repentance and Allah will give him to drink from the River of al-Khabal.” This hadith was classified as sahih by al-Albani in Shahih at-Tirmidzi.

قال المباركفوري في “تحفة الأحوذي”: “وَقِيلَ: إِنَّمَا خَصَّ الصَّلاةَ بِالذِّكْرِ لأَنَّهَا أَفْضَلُ عِبَادَاتِ الْبَدَنِ، فَإِذَا لَمْ تُقْبَلْ فَلِأَنْ لا يُقْبَلَ غَيْرُهَا مِنَ الْعِبَادَاتِ أَوْلَى” انتهى من “تحفة الأحوذي” (5/488) بتصرف. وكذا قال العراقي والمناوي. ويراجع جواب السؤال الأخر هنا :

Al-Mubarakfuri said in Tuhfat al-Ahwadzi: “And it was said: prayer was specified in the mention only because it is the best of bodily acts of worship; so if it is not accepted, then it is even more fitting that other acts of worship are not accepted.” End of quote from Tuhfat al-Ahwadzi (5/488) with modification. The same was stated by al-‘Iraqi and al-Munawi. And refer to the answer to the other question here:

• Woe to Those Who Drink Wine

فإذا كانت العبادات لا تُقْبَلُ مع الإصرار على شرب الخمر، فكيف يُقْبَلُ صوم عاشوراء؟ بل كيف يُكَفِّرُ ذنوب سنة؟

If acts of worship are not accepted alongside persistence in drinking wine, then how can the fast of ‘Ashura be accepted? Rather, how can it expiate the sins of a year?

فالواجب عليك أن تبادر إلى التوبة النصوح الصادقة، وأن تقلع عما أنت مقيم عليه من شرب الخمر، وتستدرك ما أنت عليه من التفريط، وأكثر من الباقيات الصالحات، عسى الله أن يتوب عليك، ويتجاوز عنك ما سلف من تفريط وتعدٍّ لحدود الله.

Therefore, what is obligatory upon you is to hasten toward sincere and truthful repentance, give up your persistence in drinking wine, rectify your negligence, and increase in righteous deeds that endure (al-baqiyat ash-shalihat). May Allah accept your repentance and overlook your past negligence and transgression of the boundaries of Allah.

ما ذكرناه لك هنا، ليس مانعا من صيام يوم عرفة، أو عاشوراء، أو ما شئت من نوافل الخيرات، من صلاة وصيام وصدقة ونسك، فشرب الخمر لا يمنع من ذلك كله، والوقوع في كبيرة، لا يعني أن تمنع نفسك من الطاعات والخيرات، فتزيد الأمر سوءا، بل بادر بالتوبة والإقلاع، وأكثر من الخيرات، حتى ولو غلبتك نفسك ووقعت في بعض الذنب.

What we have mentioned to you here is not a barrier to fasting the Day of Arafah, or ‘Ashura, or whatever you wish of voluntary good deeds such as prayer, fasting, charity, and rituals. Drinking wine does not prevent any of that, and falling into a major sin does not mean that you prevent yourself from acts of obedience and good deeds, thereby making your situation worse. Rather, hasten to repent and give it up, and increase good deeds, even if your soul overcomes you and you fall into some sin.

لكن صحة العمل، وقبوله شيء، والفضل الخاص بتكفير ذنوب سنة أو سنتين شيء آخر.

However, the validity and acceptance of the deed is one thing, and the specific virtue of expiating the sins of a year or two years is another thing.

قال جعفر بن يونس: كنت في قافلة بالشام، فخرج الأعراب فأخذوها، وجعلوا يعرضونها على أميرهم، فخرج جراب فيه سكر ولوز، فأكلوا منه، والأمير لا يأكل !!

Ja’far bin Yunus said: I was in a caravan in Sham, and the Bedouins intercepted and captured it. They began displaying it to their leader. A sack containing sugar and almonds came out, so they ate from it, but the leader did not eat!

فقلت له: لم لا تأكل؟ فقال أنا صائم!

I said to him, “Why do you not eat?” He replied, “I am fasting!”

فقال: يا شيخ؛ أَجْعلُ للصُّلح موضعا!!

I said, “You cut off paths, seize wealth, and kill souls, yet you fast?!”

فقال: يا شيخ؛ أَجْعلُ للصُّلح موضعا!!

He said, “O Sheikh, I leave a place for reconciliation with Allah!”

فلما كان بعد حين رأيته يطوف حول البيت وهو محرم، فقلت: أنت ذاك الرجل؟

Some time later, I saw him circumambulating the House in the state of Ihram. I said, “Are you that man?”

فقال: ذاك الصوم؛ بلغ بي هذا المقام!! (تاريخ دمشق 66/52).

He said, “That fast is what brought me to this station!” (Tarikh Dimasyq 66/52)

راجع جواب السؤال الأخر هنا

Refer to the answer to the other question here:

• Regarding Repentance

والله أعلم.

And Allah knows best.

Source: IslamQA.info