Written by Sarah Ismail

Islamic Articles - Imam Hussain Al-Shaheed (A.S.)

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Muharram is one of the four months declared sacred by Allah (swt) in the Holy Quran. It also marks a new year in the Islamic calendar. While it is being celebrated by those in the Muslim countries with all sorts of feasts, joy and laughter, there are those who receive it by commemorating the martyrdom of the Holy Prophetâ€™s (saw) grandchild Imam Husayn (as) with grief, tears and sorrow.On the 10th day of this month, in 61 Hijrah, Imam Husayn Bin Ali (as) was martyred in Karbala, Iraq, along with 72 of his friends and family. They were martyred with such cruelty that those responsible for committing these vicious acts cannot be called Muslims, let alone human beings. Such was the loyalty of those who claim to be Muslims but who were more keen to received worldly rewards as promised by Yazid, son of Muawiyah (may Allah curse him eternally).- Excerpt from Ziyarat-e-AshuraImam Husayn (as) was born on the 3rd of Shaaban 4 Hijrah in Medina. When the news of his birth reached the Holy Prophet (saw), Prophet Muhammad (saw) came to the house of Imam Ali (as) and Sayyidah Fatimah Al-Zahra (as) where he recited the adhan and iqamah to the ears of the newborn child. And on the 7th day of his birth, he was named Al-Husayn which means â€œthe junior of Al-Hasanâ€, his elder brother.When the angel Gabriel descended from the heavens to congratulate the Holy Prophet Muhammad on behalf of Allah (swt) and himself and to inform him that the newborn child would be martyred by his own ummah in a hot desert called Karbala in bloodshed and thirst, the Holy Prophet (saw) wept profusely and said, â€œBy Allah, those who kill Al-Husayn will never get my intercession on the Day of Judgment!â€The Holy Prophet (saw) was the first person to cry for Imam Husaynâ€™s foretold martyrdom. He loved Imam Husayn (as) dearly and took him as his own son. Whenever he held the pure, innocent child in his hands, he would always kiss the neck of Imam Husayn (as).The Holy Prophet (saw) said,Imam Husayn (as) was brought up under the care of his Holy Grandfather (saw), his father, mother and brother. With such holistic personalities in the house, Imam Husayn (as) acquired all the qualities of an Imam (as) simply by being brought up in the Holy Prophetâ€™s (saw) family. He attained perfection at its highest level in all aspects; courage, knowledge, piety, ethics etc.When his elder brother, Imam Hasan (as), was martyred on 28 Safar 50 Hijrah by his own wife Juâ€™da daughter of al-Ash'ath b. Qays, it was Imam Husayn (as) himself who undertook the washing and shrouding of his brotherâ€™s body, and buried him with his grand mother, Fatima, daughter of Asad b. Hashim b. Abd Manaf, in Jannat al Baqi.As decreed by Allah, Imam Husayn (as) was appointed to take the full responsibility of the Imamate.There are numerous reasons which we can conclude from the revolution. In this article, we have summed it to nine reasons.Imam Husayn (as)â€™s most crucial challenge is to restore Islamic conduct and way of life in the hearts and minds of people at that time.People have become accustomed to the unIslamic rule of the Umayyads. They, the Umayyads, have significantly fabricated the hadiths that brings about disastrous effect on the people; particularly those who are not able to differentiate what is right or wrong. This is one of the grave reasons why people went astray. The hadiths is the second most important after the Holy Quran; it contains the traditions of the Holy Prophet (saw) and those men who are appointed to pen the false hadiths do not mind to exchange hell-fire with the rewards promised by the Umayyads. They wrote hadiths which suits the likes of the Umayyads which we know that contradicts the true message of Islam.(Religious obligation)Defending the rights of Imam Husayn (as) as he is the one who deserves the caliphate and to fulfill the will of the Holy Prophet who has told him of his destiny.(Social Obligation)The ummah suffered a lot of injustice during the Umayyadâ€™s era and he, Imam Husayn (as), was responsible for the ummah as he should be the first one to protect and defend it.Imam Husayn (as) received hundreds, if not, thousand of letters from the people of Kufa; asking him to come and be their caliph. They wrote to the Holy Imam pleading, while some even threaten the grandson of the Holy Prophet to come and eradicate the injustice and evilness of Yazid ibn Muawiyah (la). Imam Husayn (as) knew of the consequences which were foretold by the Holy Prophet (saw), he had no choice but to accept the invitation from the people of Kufa. If he did not go there and Yazeed conquered Kufa, the people would accuse him of not helping them since they already asked him for his help.But Imam Husayn (as) did went to Kufa and they betrayed him. They did not help him.(The economy of the Muslims)During the rule of bani Umayyad, taxes were levied but the money was kept for Yazid and he could do anything he wants with it, abandoning the welfare of the people abandoned. There is a need to free the Muslim economy and put it into proper use.(Caliphate)To reshape khilafah (caliphate) and to show to the people that a caliph (a ruler) is not an imam and he is not masoom (infallible). There is a big difference between a caliph and an imam. The Imam is a supreme leader and he must be followed. Khilafah as a government is an earthly position while Imamah is a position given by Allah SWT and an Imam must be followed even if he (AS) is not in power like a caliph.There was no freedom of choice in the life of Muslims at that time. The Umayyads imposed laws which have to be followed or else they took away their lives. Such laws or bidahs (innovation) which we have mentioned before mostly violate Islamic teachings but people become so frightened that they do not mind to sin rather than being killed.(Amar Maâ€™ruf Nahi Munkar)The 7th and 8th branches of religion (furoodeen) which is enjoining good and forbidding evilness can be seen clearly from the revolution of Imam Husayn (as). When al-Walid ibn Utbah, the then governer of Medina, asked the Holy Imam to pledge allegiance to Yazid, Imam Husaynâ€™s answer was clear and direct:â€œAmeer (Governor)! I belong to the Ahlul Bayt (family) of the Holy Prophet (saw). Allah has consigned to and charges us with the Imamate (spiritual and political leadership of the Muslims). Angels pay us visits. Yazid is a wicked sinner, a depraved reprobate, a wanton drunkard, a man who sheds blood unjustly, and a man who openly defies Allahâ€™s commandments. A man like me will never yield allegiance to a person like him.â€To show to the people the evilness and hard-heartedness of the Umayyads even though they knew very well the status that of Imam Husayn (as); they killed the Holy Prophetâ€™s grandson in a most gruesome manner without even sparing him a drop of water and paraded the daughters of Bibi Fatimah (as.)The Umayyads has made efforts to make people forget about the Ahlulbayt and in turn, they have started insulting/cursing them.It is because of the revolution of Imam Husayn (as) that we are still Muslims and we know who are the Ahlulbayt (as) is and till today, the Majlis of Ahlulbayt can be witnessed from all over the world.From these reasons we learn to understand and realise the important message behind this revolution. It is for the generation of today to reflect and ponder the reality of life. Ask ourselves â€œWho are we?â€ and â€œWhy are we here?â€ The world is but a transition and just like the Holy Imam (as) sacrificed his family and friends for Islam, we need to realise what our roles is and start performing it.Imam Husaynâ€™s revolution has not ended yet, it will continue with the advent of the Imam of our age, Imam Mahdi (as) who will fill the world with justice just as it is now filled with oppression.The following excerpt from the last will and testament of the Late Ayatullah Ruhullah Khumayni (A.R.) is most touching and relevant:"The memory of this great epic event (Ashura) must be kept alive. Remember, the cries of damnation and all the curses that are rightfully raised against the cruelty of the Bani Umayyayah caliphs towards the Holy Imams, are reflected in the heroic protests against cruel despots by the nations through the centuries. It is the perpetuation of such protests that shatter oppression and cruelty. It is necessary that the crimes of the tyrants in each age and era be indicated in the cries of lamentation and in the recitals of elegies held for the Holy Imams"Kerbala and Beyond (Yasin T. al-Jibouri)A Brief History of the Fourteen InfalliblesWith thanks to Brother Hassan, Brother Arif and Brother KadhemSource: http://www.almujtaba.com