Muharram 2025: Significance of fasting on Ashura for Muslims; know details
Muharram 2025: When is Ashura?
The tenth day of the month of Muharram is known as Ashura. This year, the crescent moon was observed on June 26, and Muharram began on June 27. Hence, Ashura will be observed on July 6.
Ashura holds deep significance for Shia and Sunni Muslims all over the country. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura is commemorated as the day when Prophet Moses (Musa) and the Children of Israel were saved from Pharaoh's tyranny. For Shia Muslims, Ashura is remembered as the day of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Also read | Muharram 2025: When to observe Ashura, July 6 or 7? Correct date, significance, history of the Islamic New Year
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar.(Photo by Zayn Shah on Unsplash)
Significance of fasting for Sunni Muslims:
Both Shia and Sunni Muslims fast on the auspicious day of Ashura, but for very different reasons. In fact, they also follow different practices of fasting on this day. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura existed even during the pre-Islamic times. Fasting is observed as a way of showing gratitude to Allah.
Sunni Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad also observed fast on the day of Ashura and urged his followers to keep fast. Hence, Sunni Muslims follow the teaching of Prophet Muhammad on this day. Also read | Ramadan fasting vs intermittent fasting: 1 big mistake that could harm your health
Significance of fasting for Shia Muslims:
For Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed with deep mourning and sorrow, as this day marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. Imam Hussein's martyrdom is marked as a symbol of resistance against injustice and tyranny. On the day of Ashura, Shia Muslims observe fast to spiritually connect with the sufferings of Imam Hussein and pay homage to him.
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News18
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Historic Swedish church embraces inclusion with minority languages
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The verse reminded the community of its responsibility to be good neighbours. top videos View all But before the 35-minute service concluded — with an early fika, the traditional Swedish coffee break — the worshippers paused to reflect upon the upcoming move. Nutti Blind offered a prayer, this time in Swedish, for their spiritual home's safety. 'We pray for the move of the Kiruna Church, that the church will be preserved and that the move goes well," she prayed. 'And that we once again will use this beautiful church." (AP) GSP (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 21, 2025, 00:15 IST News agency-feeds Historic Swedish church embraces inclusion with minority languages Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. 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New Indian Express
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The Unruly Histories Of Delhi
Histories hidden in plain sight Apart from these monuments the author mentions Fatehpur Sikri, and Delhi's Purana Qila. Additionally,the book notes–while the Qutub Minar is one of Delhi's most visited heritage sites, Chandra points out a lesser-known part of its history, which is the landscaping at the Qutb mosque complex (built after the Ghurid conquest in the late 12th century). 'There's no account of it in academic scholarship, nor do tour guides or guidebook narratives pay any attention to it,' the book reads. The mosque was the first congregational mosque in Delhi, it stresses. In 1828, British authorities began transforming the Qutb mosque complex into a leisure space for European visitors. Similarly, Chandra digs into overlooked aspects of other well-known monuments. She pens down about museums that were housed inside the Red Fort in the past, however, have since disappeared; the Jama Masjid as seen through old postcards, and Purana Qila's use as a refugee camp during Partition. 'If we go to Purana Qila today, none of the tourist signage or materials speak about the history of this site as a refugee camp. These are histories, which are hidden that I am trying to unearth,' the author adds. 'Physical care of Indo-Islamic architecture also, necessarily, means care and deep attentiveness towards how the sites' heterogeneous, expensive histories are written,' the epilogue reads, adding, 'to genuinely listen to and to rehabilitate those who live in or around these sites and to make diverse ways of being at the site.'
