Similarity In Rituals Of People Of Book
Regarding Fast of Ashura, there are also narrations where Quraish had a custom to keep fast of Ashura and other narrations which tell that Jews used to keep that. The Prophet (sws) generally kept this fast and before the fasts of Ramadan were made incumbent, he would necessarily keep it and would urge and direct people to keep it and would show vigilance on them in this regard. There are plenty of ahadith that talk about only fast of 10th Muharram (Ashura) and in a few Prophet (sws) did show intention to fast on 9th as well in the coming year but He (sws) passed away before that. Therefore, first of all it was never insisted by the Prophet (sws) and secondly, the only reason it was insisted could’ve been avoidance of any Biddah that Muslims may absorb from Jews. Since Prophethood reached its culmination, therefore Prophet’s(sws) sensitivity towards Biddah was also very high and hence, this was not only rstricted to People of the Book, there are many narrations where we see this advise where Muslims were asked to not copy Jews, Magian and even Mushriks (Polytheists) with regard to otherwise allowed (halal) activities.