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Fatwa CenterCalling Al-Muharram month 'Muharram Al-Haraam'
Question
why is muharram ul haram is called muharram ul haram? what is importance of this mnth?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, we say that - as far as we know - the name that you mentioned for the month of Muharram, which is 'Muharram Al-Haraam', was not mentioned in the Quran or in the Sunnah. The Prophet called it "Al-Muharram, the month of Allaah" and he called it "Al-Muharram". The Prophet said: "The best fasting after (fasting in the month of) Ramadan is in Al-Muharram, the month of Allaah." [Muslim]
In another narration, the Prophet was asked: “What is the best fasting after the month of Ramadan?" The Prophet replied: “The month of Allaah which you call Al-Muharram.” [Ibn Maajah] Another narration reads: “... so fast Al-Muharram for it is the month of Allaah.” [Abu Daawood]
Concerning naming this month “Muharram Al-Haraam”, it is a common name used by the scholars and by Muslims in general, and it is a permissible name. Jurists often use this name for this month in their books; for example, they say "I have finished writing this book at the end of the month of Muharram Al-Haraam,” or "his death was in Muharram Al-Haraam" and so on. It is a compound name, the first is 'Muharram', which is the name of the month as we mentioned, and the second is 'Al-Haraam', i.e. it is a sacred month and it is one of the Four Sacred Months, which are as follows: Rajab, Thul Qi’dah, Thul Hijjah, and Al-Muharram.
The importance of this month lies in the fact that it is one of the Sacred Months and it is desirable to fast as much as possible in it.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 84755, 7487 and 14951.
Allaah Knows best.
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