Enthusiasm for Aashura
Submitted by Mohammed Gilani on
Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم himself fasted on the day of Aashura and exhorted the Sahaabah رضي الله عنهم to observe this fast as well. The extent of enthusiasm and passion with which the Sahaabah رضي الله عنهم upheld this Mubaarak Sunnah could perhaps be gauged from the following Hadith:
عن الربيع بنت معوذ بن عفراء رضي الله عنها قالت فكنا بعد ذلك نصومه ونصوم صبياننا الصغار منهم إن شاء الله ونذهب إلى المسجد فنجعل لهم اللعبة من العهن فإذا بكى أحدهم على الطعام أعطيناهم إياه عند الإفطار (مسلم)
Hazrat Rubayyi' رضي الله عنها reports, "We (the Sahaabah رضي الله عنهم) would observe the fast of Aashura and would also encourage our children to observe this fast.
We would make toys out of wool for our children, and if any child felt hungry during the fast and wept for food, we would give them these toys to occupy them until the time of iftaar." (Saheeh Muslim)