narrated to me Ja’far ibn ’Isa his brother who has said the following: “I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about fasting on ‘Ashura’ and what people say about it. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is the fast of ibn Marjanah. You are asking me about the day in which the adopted ones of the family of Ziyad for their murdering al-Husayn (a.s.), were fasting. It is an ominous day for the family of Muhammad (a.s.). For people of Islam it is an ominous day. A day, which is ominous for the people of Islam is not a day of fasting or a day of blessing. Monday is an unblessed day because Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, took His Holy prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, from this world. The family of Muhammad, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has been hurt on Monday, so we took it as an ominous day and our enemies took it as a day of blessing. On the day of ‘Ashura’ al-Husayn (a.s.), was murdered and ibn Marjanah took it for blessing but the family of Muhammad, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, took it as an ominous day. Whoever fasts on this day or takes it for blessing will come in the presence of Allah, most Blessed, most High, with metamorphosed heart and will be raised with those who established the Sunnah of fasting on that day and took it for blessing.’”