Your Guide to International Celebrations
When is Ashura?
Ashura literally means Tenth, and is held on the tenth day of Muharram. It is a day of mourning and optionally fasting.
It is a day of mourning for martyr Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of the prophet Muhammad and an Imam (a person who is infallible, free of sin).
It is also believed that on this day: Moses fasted on this day to honor Israel's' freedom from Egypt, Noah was saved from the flood, Abraham was saved from Nimrod's fire, Jacob's blindness was healed, Job's illness was healed, and Jesus went to heaven.
Year Ashura 2013 Thursday, November 14th 2014 Monday, November 3rd 2015 Saturday, October 24th 2016 Wednesday, October 12th 2017 Sunday, October 1st 2018 Thursday, September 20th 2019 Tuesday, September 10th 2020 Sunday, August 30th
*Note: these dates are based on astrological mathematical calculations that predict the visibility of the moon. The exact day of the holiday cannot be known for certain until the relevant moon is actually sighted. Predictions could be off by one day.
Other Muslim Holidays