Muharram is an Islamic month and is also known as Muharram-ul-Haram. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and thus marks the beginning of the Islamic year.

It is one of the four sacred months, and its special importance is indicated by its name. The word ‘Muharram’ literally means ‘forbidden’ - i.e. it is so sacred that certain actions become forbidden during it, as they would violate its sanctity.

The Islamic calendar shifts up by 10-11 days in the Gregorian calendar, as it is based on the lunar cycle. 

The month of Muharram will begin on the evening of the 29th of July, and will end on the evening of August 28th 2022.

’Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them…’ (Qur’an, 9:36)

Regarding this verse, Ibn Katheer (rh) explains, ’Allah has chosen elites from His creation: from among the angels He chose Messengers, from among mankind He chose Messengers, from among speech He chose remembrance of Him (dhikr), from among spaces on earth He chose the mosques, from among the months He chose Ramadan and the sacred months…

Although many of us understand the importance of the month of Ramadan, we can often neglect the sacred months. However, they offer us a wealth of opportunities to seek the mercy and favor of Allah, the likes of which cannot be found at any other time of the year. They have been specifically selected by Allah Himself as the best times to draw closer to Him.

As mentioned before, our deeds carry more weight during Muharram, just as they carry more weight in the Ka’bah and its surroundings. Thus, there is an opportunity to gain more reward every day; but also the danger of gaining more sins with our bad deeds. This means we should be extra-vigilant when it comes to how we act, whether in our relationships, at work, in our worship, in our time management, or even how we take care of our health. With the right intention, every single action can become an opportunity for reward!

It is highly recommended to fast as much as possible during Muharram (though fasting the whole month is reserved for Ramadan only). The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ‘The best fasting after Ramadan is the Sacred Month of Allah (Muharram)…’ (Muslim)

In fact, the sanctity of Muharram was so established that even the Quraysh in the days of Jahiliyah (ignorance) used to fast on certain days. One such day is the Day of ’Ashura (the 10th of Muharram), which celebrates Allah (swt) freeing Prophet Musa (as) and his people from the bonds of Pharaoh.

Although there is no specific recommendation to pay your Zakat in Muharram, during the times of the Prophet (saw), Zakat was collected from the Ummah on the 1st of Muharram. The increased reward available for honoring the times of the year favored by Allah is one of the reasons why many Muslims around the world still choose to give their Zakat in Muharram or Ramadan.

If you prefer to spread out your Zakat payments over the whole year, you can estimate what your Zakat should be using our Zakat calculator and divide it by twelve. This year, you can help transform lives by setting up a regular donation to our Water Fund and ensuring needy families have access to safe, clean water.