What is the ruling on fasting the Day of Ashura along with the day before or after it?

The Shaykh:
Peace.

The questioner:
What is the ruling on fasting the first day? What is the ruling on fasting the Day of Ashura and fasting the day before it or the day after it? Okay, another question, thank you. He asks about fasting Ashura, or the day before it, or the day after it?

The Shaykh:
Fasting the Day of Ashura is a confirmed sunnah (recommended practice). Yes. And one fasts the day before it, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded that in order to differ from the Jews, for the Jews fast it, so we were commanded to differ from them by fasting a day before it. And in another narration, or a day after it. So the important thing is that he does not fast it alone. That would be incomplete. If he adds a day before it, he has done the sunnah (recommended practice) that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded. Yes.