Introduction to the Virtue of the Day of Ashura and Messages of Relief

Within the folds of the month of Muharram, and the day of Ashura in particular, lie profound messages, lessons, and sermons. Foremost among them is the spiritual understanding of Ashura: deliverance from hardship, and the realization that affliction is not necessarily a sign of Divine wrath. Rather, it can be a path for spiritual nurturing, purification, and the elevation of ranks. It teaches us that no matter how long adversity lasts, it has an end; and no matter how delayed relief seems, it is inevitably coming by the permission of Allah Almighty. A believer’s life is never built upon despair or pessimism; instead, it is anchored in hope, absolute certainty, and maintaining the best expectations of Allah Almighty: “And know that victory comes with patience, relief comes with distress, and that with hardship comes ease.”[1]

A believer constantly lives between the states of gratitude and patience. If a blessing comes, they give thanks; and if adversity strikes, they persevere. In both scenarios, they attain goodness and reward with Allah Almighty: “Amazing is the affair of the believer, for there is good for him in all his affairs, and this is for no one but a believer. If something of good/happiness befalls him, he is grateful, and that is good for him. If something of harm befalls him, he is patient, and that is good for him.”[2] Indeed, trials and difficulties are often the very gateways through which human spiritual and faith-based strength is discovered, or through which one learns invaluable lessons never to be forgotten, or finds better paths that would have never crossed their mind if not for that specific ordeal.

Tribulation is Allah’s Continuous Sunnah in Human Life

The Concept of Tribulation in Islam and the Wisdom Behind Ordeals

The true nature of this worldly life ($Dunya$) is that it is an abode of trials and tribulations. No human being is exempt from affliction; everyone within it is tested, either through good or through bad. Among them are those who suffer from anxiety and stress, illness, the loss of a loved one, financial constraints, family disputes, psychological pressures, the heavy burden of debt, or other challenges—meaning that tribulation is a continuous cosmic law ($Sunnah$) woven into the fabric of creation.

However, what distinguishes the believer from others regarding this law of tribulation is that the true nature of this world never slips from their mind; they constantly perceive it as it truly is—a testing ground and a bridge to the Abode of Recompense. They understand that Allah, glorified be He, did not create human beings to live a life entirely free of difficulties and challenges, but rather to test the people of faith through their belief, patience, and steadfastness.

The Almighty said: {"And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient"} [Al-Baqarah: 155]. Thus, Allah, glorified and exalted be He, made it clear that He must try humans with something of these calamities, so that their true state becomes manifest, allowing the patient ones facing trials to triumph: {"Who, when disaster strikes them, say, 'Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.' Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided"} [Al-Baqarah: 156-157].

The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no servant afflicted with a calamity who says: ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and compensate me with something better than it,’ except that Allah rewards him in his affliction and compensates him with something better than it.”[3]

Models of Patience from the Predecessors of the Ummah

Attaining the reward of Divine blessings, mercy, and guidance is inherently tied to facing trials that are followed by patience and beautiful speech ($Al-Qawl Al-Hasan$). For this reason, the righteous predecessors (Salaf) of this Ummah struck the finest examples of steadfastness, strength of faith, and offering gratitude during the most severe situations of affliction, seeking the reward of Allah Almighty.

Abdullah ibn Mutarrif said to his people—when his son passed away, and he came out to them with his hair neatly combed and wearing his finest clothes, causing them to wonder and say, “Your son has died and you come out looking like this?!” He replied: “Are you commanding me to surrender submissively to the calamity? By Allah, if the whole world and everything in it belonged to me, and Allah Almighty took it away from me, and then promised me in return a single sip of water, I would see that sip of water as entirely worthy of it. So how then should I feel about receiving Divine blessings, mercy, and guidance?!”[4]

Thus, their certainty reached a level where they realized the reward Allah has prepared for the patient is grander than everything this world contains. They recognized that tasting the sweetness of the reward of Divine blessings and mercy from Allah is well worth patience, absolute surrender, and contentment with a painful decree, rather than succumbing to brokenness and despair.

In essence, tribulation is a continuous Divine law and a structural wisdom that never fails. It may appear outwardly as adversity and pain, but it carries inwardly a gift, mercy, and immense goodness—either to purify hearts or to elevate the ranks of the believers and expiate their sins. While affliction is not sought for its own sake, the certainty that behind every ordeal lies wisdom, that with every hardship comes relief, and that Allah, if He tests His servant, does not abandon them but opens doors of goodness they never anticipated, mandates that the wise believer transforms adversity into an opportunity to draw closer to Allah. Consequently, their supplication increases, their reliance (Tawakkul) strengthens, and their heart attaches to their Lord more than ever before, so they may achieve an ultimate, magnificent triumph.

The Prophets Are the Most Severely Tested of People

The Wisdom Behind the Affliction of the Prophets and the Righteous

The Prophets—the best of mankind, peace be upon them—were tested with various types of trials. Their afflictions varied between harm, denial, mockery, false accusations, illness, fear, loss of loved ones, migration, a small number of followers, and the heavy burdens of conveying the message. Following them, the righteous were also tested with various tribulations, including restrictions on holding fast to religion, and facing harm from the people of desires, misconceptions, and lusts. Their trials varied across their faith, their lives, and their families, and these elite and virtuous souls were tested most severely so they could serve as archetypes for humanity in patience, steadfastness, and excellent reliance upon Allah Almighty.

This also demonstrates that tribulation can be a sign of Allah’s love and choice. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ said: “The greatness of the reward is with the greatness of the affliction, and indeed, if Allah loves a people, He tests them. So whoever is content, for him is contentment, and whoever is discontent, for him is discontent.”[5]

Al-Fudayl said: “A servant does not reach the reality of faith until he counts tribulation as a blessing and ease as a calamity, and until he dislikes being praised for worshipping Allah.”[6] He said in another place: “Indeed, Allah Almighty tends to His believing servant with trials just as a man tends to his family with good things.”[7]

How Gifts Are Born from the Womb of Ordeals

It is no secret that many immense blessings have emerged from the womb of hardships; the ordeal births the gift. Examples include the trial of Yusuf (Joseph) عليه السلام with imprisonment, after which he became the chief minister of Egypt; the rescue of Musa (Moses) bin Imran after dangers surrounded him from the very moment of his birth; and the honorable Prophetic Migration (Hijrah) which began with a pursuit and ended with building the eternal Islamic state. How many an ordeal was the beginning of a grand goodness!

Imam Al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: “Which is better for a man: to be established (Yumakkan) or to be tested (Yubtala)?” He replied: “He is not established until he is tested. For Allah tested Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), and Muhammad—may the blessings of Allah be upon them all—and when they persevered, He established them. So let no one think that they will escape pain altogether.”[8]

Therefore, a Muslim should not assume that their life will be devoid of trials simply because they are a Muslim who believes in Allah. Rather, the stronger a person’s faith and religion become, the more severe their trial may be, so that Allah may elevate their ranks, purify their faith, and make them an example for others in patience and contentment.

The Gift of Deliverance in the Story of Musa عليه السلام

The Miracle of Musa’s Rescue and Certainty in Allah

The day of Ashura teaches us a grand lesson in certainty (Yaqeen) and maintaining excellent expectations of Allah Almighty. The story of that day was not merely about escaping drowning or the tyranny of Pharaoh; rather, it serves as a profound reminder of Ashura: deliverance from hardship, demonstrating that rescue can manifest after the most harrowing moments of difficulty. It nurtures within us how the power of certainty and sincere faith grants its possessor tranquility and courage in the darkest and most perilous circumstances. The sea was in front of Musa عليه السلام, and Pharaoh and his soldiers were behind him, to the point that his people said: (Indeed, we are to be overtaken) out of sheer human certainty of doom. Yet, the Prophet of Allah عليه السلام did not allow the terror of the situation or the panic of his followers to overcome his complete certainty and sincere faith in Allah and His victory. He spoke with absolute confidence in an answer that contradicted his people’s premise:

(No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me)

Consequently, relief arrived from where no one could calculate. Allah commanded the sea to part; the believers were saved, the tyrants perished, and thus the ordeal transformed into a gift, fear into security, and weakness into a resounding victory by the help of Allah Almighty.

This great day was one of the Days of Allah (Ayyam Allah), as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, Ashura is a day from the Days of Allah.”[9] This is because the gift of deliverance was manifested through a magnificent divine miracle, embodying a breathtaking divine victory and the peak of certainty. Therefore, Musa عليه السلام and his people fasted it out of gratitude to Allah, and the Jews fasted it after him. When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura, he said to them: “What is this day that you are fasting?” They replied: “This is a great day; Allah saved Musa and his people within it, and drowned Pharaoh and his people. So Musa fasted it out of gratitude, and we fast it.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said: “We have more right and a closer connection to Musa than you.” So he fasted it and commanded that it be fasted.[10] Furthermore, he ﷺ said: “For fasting the day of Ashura, I anticipate that Allah will expiate the sins of the year before it,”[11] highlighting the greatness of its status and defining its immense virtue.

The Eloquent Comparison Between the Companionship of the Cave and the Companionship of the Sea (According to Ibn Ashur)

The story of Ashura is remarkably similar to the noble Prophetic stance in the cave during the migration to Madinah, in terms of how both intersect during times of crisis, absolute reliance, and unwavering certainty in Allah’s victory and support. At the peak of fear, the Prophet of Allah Musa عليه السلام said: (No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me) [Al-Shu’ara: 62]. And when Abu Bakr feared for the fate of the nascent Islamic call, the Prophet ﷺ reassured him with Divine companionship, saying: ﴿Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us﴾ [At-Tawbah: 40].

Thus, the bond of grand reliance united both stances, yet they differed in the context of how this Special Divine Companionship ($Al-Ma’iyyah Al-Khassah$) manifested. The Prophet of Allah Musa عليه السلام restricted it to himself by saying (with me) because his people were not aware of the specific divine guardianship and care guaranteed to him, and because the path to the nation’s salvation at that moment was confined to a miraculous divine act that would cut off the enemy—an act that could only occur through the hands of the Messenger who was uniquely commanded to strike the sea. Thus, the companionship here was one of direction and guidance for the endeavor of the leader sent for their benefit. In contrast, the Divine companionship in the cave manifested using the plural form (with us) because it was a companionship of comprehensive divine protection and encompassing guardianship over both of them. It necessitated blinding the eyes of the enemies away from their shared refuge, causing divine tranquility and peace ($Sakinah$) to flow upon both the Messenger and his companion together.

Taking Actions (Asbab) Along with Reliance Upon Allah

Furthermore, although salvation in both stories was a divine miracle, both noble Prophets executed worldly actions (Asbab). Musa عليه السلام was commanded to strike the sea with his staff, and the Prophet ﷺ utilized human actions, planning, and expertise—such as selecting the cave, maintaining secrecy, and hiring a guide, rather than riding the Buraq. This serves as an foundational creedal and educational lesson for the Ummah: taking practical measures while maintaining reliance on Allah is an integral part of faith, and one is invalid without the other. Abandoning practical measures is blameworthy because it is passive dependency (Tawakul), while relying solely on practical measures is rejected because it damages the core of true spiritual reliance (Tawakkul). Rather, the true believer is the one who marries effort and striving with absolute reliance on Allah Almighty, maintaining certainty that the outcomes of all matters rest in His hands alone, without any partner.

The Message of Hope and Optimism in Our Contemporary Life

In any case, the memories of the day of Ashura and the Prophetic Migration will remain an eternal message for every afflicted person in every time and place, anchoring the principle of Ashura: deliverance from hardship. They prove that relief can arrive at the exact moment a human thinks all doors have been shut from every direction. Therefore, a believer never loses hope, no matter how severe the circumstances become, as despair is not part of the character of believers. Allah Almighty said: {"And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?"}, and He said: {"And do not despair of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people"}. Rather, maintaining excellent expectations of Allah is the hallmark of His close servants because it is an act of great worship. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Allah Almighty said: “I am as My servant expects Me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me…”[12] and Allah is more merciful to His servants than they are to themselves.

In our contemporary life, we urgently need to spread the culture of hope and optimism, considering the various hardships and calamities people face, so that a Muslim does not surrender, despair, or assume that the doors are permanently closed. Our Lord, Exalted and Glorified be He, who saved Musa عليه السلام and gave victory to His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, is entirely capable of changing fear into security, grief into joy, constraint into vastness, and weakness into strength. What is required of a Muslim during a hardship is to remain patient, maintain excellent expectations of Allah, utilize the available means, and know with absolute certainty that with hardship comes ease, that after adversity comes deliverance, and that relief is near by the permission of Allah Almighty.

Perhaps the wisdom behind trials at times is to rectify the soul, elevate spiritual ranks, and guide a person back to the straight path that brings the servant closer to Allah. It might be to prompt a return to prayer, to safeguard the Quran, to reconcile family relationships, or to review one’s life priorities where there might have been negligence or complacency. A believer does not stop at the trial, succumb to frustration, or judge their future as a failure based on a passing moment of pain lived today. Rather, they search for the divine gift that Allah intended for them through it, and they continue their journey, seeking strength from Allah Almighty, just as the story of the Prophetic Migration and the day of Ashura have taught us.

[1] Narrated by Ahmad (2802)

[2] Narrated by Muslim (2999)

[3] Narrated by Muslim (918)

[4] Hilyat al-Awliya (2/201)

[5] Narrated by Tirmidhi (2396)

[6] Siyar A’lam al-Nubala (8/434)

[7] Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din (4/139)

[8] Al-Fawa’id by Ibn al-Qayyim (269)

[9] Narrated by Muslim (1126)

[10] Ibid (1130)

[11] Ibid (1162)

[12] Muttafaqun ‘Alayh (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)