Ashura

Multiple-Choice Questions

1 On which date of the Islamic calendar is Ashura observed?
(a) 1 Muharram (b) 9 Muharram
(c) 10 Muharram (d) None of these

2 Ashura is observed in which Hijri month?
(a) Ramadan (b) Muharram
(c) Rajab (d) None of these

3 What does the Arabic word Ashura generally mean?
(a) The ninth (b) The tenth
(c) The eleventh (d) None of these

4 Which prophet is associated with the historical event behind the Sunnah of fasting on Ashura?
(a) Prophet Ibrahim (AS) (b) Prophet Musa (AS)
(c) Prophet Yusuf (AS) (d) None of these

5 According to the well-known hadith, what event did the Prophet ﷺ associate with the fast of Ashura?
(a) The construction of the Ka’bah (b) The deliverance of Musa (AS) and the Israelites from Pharaoh
(c) The conquest of Makkah (d) None of these

6 Which companion reported the Prophet’s explanation about the fasting of Ashura in a famous narration?
(a) Ibn Abbas (RA) (b) Abu Ubaydah (RA)
(c) Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) (d) None of these

7 Which Egyptian ruler opposed Prophet Musa (AS) in the Qur’anic narrative?
(a) Nimrod (b) Pharaoh
(c) Qarun (d) None of these

8 Which body of water is traditionally associated with the crossing by Musa (AS) and the Israelites?
(a) Dead Sea (b) Red Sea
(c) Caspian Sea (d) None of these

9 Which day did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ intend to fast in addition to the tenth of Muharram?
(a) 8 Muharram (b) 9 Muharram
(c) 12 Muharram (d) None of these

10 What is the general legal status of fasting on Ashura?
(a) Obligatory (b) Forbidden
(c) Voluntary Sunnah (d) None of these

11 Before Ramadan fasting became obligatory, which fast had a special obligatory status in early Islamic practice according to reports?
(a) Ashura (b) Arafah
(c) Six days of Shawwal (d) None of these

12 Which month contains the obligatory fasting of Muslims?
(a) Muharram (b) Rajab
(c) Ramadan (d) None of these

13 Which Qur’anic verse prescribes fasting during Ramadan?
(a) Al-Baqarah 2:183 (b) Al-Fil 105:1
(c) Al-Kawthar 108:1 (d) None of these

14 Which hadith collection includes narrations about the virtue of fasting on Ashura?
(a) Sahih al-Bukhari (b) Sahih Muslim
(c) Both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (d) None of these

15 According to a hadith in Sahih Muslim, fasting on Ashura is hoped to expiate the sins of which period?
(a) The previous month (b) The previous year
(c) The previous ten years (d) None of these

16 Which major historical tragedy also occurred on 10 Muharram?
(a) Battle of Badr (b) Martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali (RA) at Karbala
(c) Battle of Uhud (d) None of these

17 In which year AH did the tragedy of Karbala occur?
(a) 40 AH (b) 50 AH
(c) 61 AH (d) None of these

18 In which Gregorian year did the Battle of Karbala occur?
(a) 632 CE (b) 680 CE
(c) 750 CE (d) None of these

19 In which present-day country is Karbala located?
(a) Saudi Arabia (b) Iraq
(c) Iran (d) None of these

20 Who was martyred at Karbala?
(a) Hasan ibn Ali (RA) (b) Husayn ibn Ali (RA)
(c) Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) (d) None of these

21 Husayn ibn Ali (RA) was the son of:
(a) Abu Bakr (RA) (b) Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA)
(c) Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) (d) None of these

22 Husayn ibn Ali (RA) was the grandson of:
(a) Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (b) Prophet Ibrahim (AS)
(c) Prophet Musa (AS) (d) None of these

23 Who was the mother of Husayn ibn Ali (RA)?
(a) Aishah (RA) (b) Fatimah al-Zahra (RA)
(c) Hafsah (RA) (d) None of these

24 Who was the elder brother of Husayn ibn Ali (RA)?
(a) Hasan ibn Ali (RA) (b) Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA)
(c) Zayd ibn Harithah (RA) (d) None of these

25 Which Umayyad ruler was in power at the time of Karbala?
(a) Mu’awiyah I (b) Yazid I
(c) Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (d) None of these

26 Which city had sent invitations to Husayn ibn Ali (RA) before his journey toward Iraq?
(a) Basra (b) Kufa
(c) Damascus (d) None of these

27 Who was the governor of Kufa during the events leading to Karbala?
(a) Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad (b) Abu Musa al-Ash’ari
(c) Al-Ma’mun (d) None of these

28 Which commander led the force that confronted Husayn (RA) at Karbala?
(a) Khalid ibn al-Walid (b) Umar ibn Sa’d
(c) Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (d) None of these

29 Which surviving son of Husayn (RA) is known by the title Zayn al-Abidin?
(a) Ali ibn Husayn (b) Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah
(c) Hasan al-Muthanna (d) None of these

30 Which city contains the shrine of Husayn ibn Ali (RA)?
(a) Najaf (b) Karbala
(c) Baghdad (d) None of these

31 Which city contains the shrine of Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA)?
(a) Najaf (b) Karbala
(c) Madinah (d) None of these

32 What is the name of the tenth day of Muharram?
(a) Arafah (b) Ashura
(c) Eid al-Fitr (d) None of these

33 Which of the following is a recommended approach to fasting Ashura?
(a) Fasting only on 10 Muharram is compulsory (b) Fasting on 9 and 10 Muharram
(c) Fasting is prohibited on both days (d) None of these

34 Which other day is sometimes recommended alongside the tenth if the ninth was not observed?
(a) 11 Muharram (b) 15 Muharram
(c) 20 Muharram (d) None of these

35 What is the meaning of the term Karbala in Islamic history?
(a) A battle in the early Islamic period (b) A month of the Hijri calendar
(c) A place of pilgrimage in Makkah (d) None of these

36 Which principle is frequently emphasized in reflections on the martyrdom of Husayn (RA)?
(a) Submission to oppression (b) Justice and moral courage
(c) Rejection of all consultation (d) None of these

37 Which of the following statements about Ashura is accurate?
(a) It is exclusively a historical commemoration of Karbala (b) It is exclusively a day of Hajj
(c) It has religious significance associated with fasting and historical events (d) None of these

38 Which of the following is a common practice among many Muslim communities on Ashura?
(a) Voluntary fasting (b) Obligatory pilgrimage to Karbala
(c) Mandatory animal sacrifice (d) None of these

39 Which event is mentioned in the hadith concerning the Jews of Madinah and Ashura?
(a) The rescue of Musa (AS) from Pharaoh (b) The construction of Masjid Quba
(c) The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (d) None of these

40 Which of the following is not a prescribed obligatory act specifically for Ashura?
(a) Fasting on Ashura as an obligatory duty (b) Observing the five daily prayers
(c) Paying Zakat when due (d) None of these

41 Which of the following statements about the tragedy of Karbala is correct?
(a) It took place during the Rashidun period (b) It took place during the Umayyad period
(c) It took place during the Abbasid period (d) None of these

42 Which Hijri month is the fourth month of the Islamic calendar?
(a) Rabi al-Awwal (b) Jumada al-Awwal
(c) Rabi al-Thani (d) None of these

43 Which of the following is a sacred month?
(a) Safar (b) Muharram
(c) Rabi al-Awwal (d) None of these

44 Which companion is associated with the narration that the Prophet ﷺ intended to fast on the ninth day of Muharram?
(a) Ibn Abbas (RA) (b) Abu Sufyan (RA)
(c) Abu Lahab (d) None of these

45 What is the main distinction between Ashura fasting and Ramadan fasting?
(a) Both are obligatory (b) Ashura fasting is voluntary, while Ramadan fasting is obligatory for eligible Muslims
(c) Ramadan fasting is voluntary, while Ashura fasting is obligatory (d) None of these

46 Which of the following best describes the significance of 10 Muharram in Islamic history?
(a) It is only the date of Eid al-Adha (b) It is associated with the Sunnah of fasting and the tragedy of Karbala
(c) It marks the beginning of Hajj (d) None of these

47 Which of the following is the correct Hijri date of the martyrdom of Husayn (RA)?
(a) 10 Muharram 61 AH (b) 1 Ramadan 40 AH
(c) 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 10 AH (d) None of these

48 Which family relationship did Husayn ibn Ali (RA) have with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?
(a) Son-in-law (b) Paternal uncle
(c) Grandson (d) None of these

49 What is the name of the Islamic practice of voluntary fasting?
(a) Sawm (b) Hajj
(c) Zakat (d) None of these

50 Which statement about Ashura is most accurate?
(a) Fasting on Ashura is one of the five pillars of Islam (b) Ashura occurs on 10 Muharram and has significance in Islamic worship and history
(c) Ashura is the first day of Ramadan (d) None of these

Answer Key

1 (c) 10 Muharram
2 (b) Muharram
3 (b) The tenth
4 (b) Prophet Musa (AS)
5 (b) The deliverance of Musa (AS) and the Israelites from Pharaoh
6 (a) Ibn Abbas (RA)
7 (b) Pharaoh
8 (b) Red Sea
9 (b) 9 Muharram
10 (c) Voluntary Sunnah
11 (a) Ashura
12 (c) Ramadan
13 (a) Al-Baqarah 2:183
14 (c) Both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
15 (b) The previous year
16 (b) Martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali (RA) at Karbala
17 (c) 61 AH
18 (b) 680 CE
19 (b) Iraq
20 (b) Husayn ibn Ali (RA)
21 (c) Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA)
22 (a) Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
23 (b) Fatimah al-Zahra (RA)
24 (a) Hasan ibn Ali (RA)
25 (b) Yazid I
26 (b) Kufa
27 (a) Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad
28 (b) Umar ibn Sa’d
29 (a) Ali ibn Husayn
30 (b) Karbala
31 (a) Najaf
32 (b) Ashura
33 (b) Fasting on 9 and 10 Muharram
34 (a) 11 Muharram
35 (a) A battle in the early Islamic period
36 (b) Justice and moral courage
37 (c) It has religious significance associated with fasting and historical events
38 (a) Voluntary fasting
39 (a) The rescue of Musa (AS) from Pharaoh
40 (a) Fasting on Ashura as an obligatory duty
41 (b) It took place during the Umayyad period
42 (c) Rabi al-Thani
43 (b) Muharram
44 (a) Ibn Abbas (RA)
45 (b) Ashura fasting is voluntary, while Ramadan fasting is obligatory for eligible Muslims
46 (b) It is associated with the Sunnah of fasting and the tragedy of Karbala
47 (a) 10 Muharram 61 AH
48 (c) Grandson
49 (a) Sawm
50 (b) Ashura occurs on 10 Muharram and has significance in Islamic worship and history