Imam Hussain ibn Ali (AS) will always be remembered as a symbol of defiance, courage. conviction, and the one who stood for the ideals of humanity as enshrined by divinity. He was a practising marvel of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his glorious teachings. The scion of Ali. Fatima stood fast against extreme adversity, which no human being can endure – and that too at the peril of lives of his family, friends and companions. Yet, Hussain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), was unmoved as he was determined to fight against callousness. repression, and he succeeded in exposing the signs and manifestations of tyranny for all times to come by going down fighting in all humility.
Hussain's manifesto was to uphold the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah – and that too in an unadulterated form. Thus, he refused to give in to a rising imperialism within the rank. file of Islam, and chose to lay down his life rather than submitting to an unjust and cruel order. All he was asked to do by the then insurgent, self-imposed regime in 60 Hijra was to submit. concede to their 'authority'. Hussain – for whom the Prophet (PBUH) had said, "Hussain is from me, and I am from Hussain. Allah loves whoever loves Husain" (Hadith also in Jami' Al-Tirmidhi 3775) – could not have done so. He roared, ".. A person like me cannot pledge allegiance to a person like you " (words uttered in the court of Waleed in Madina 24 Rajab. 60 Hijra). Those words will act as a preamble for generations who believe in emancipation of mankind,. who do not want to be enslaved to unrighteousness.
That sealed the fate of Karbala, where Hussain along with his 72 companions preferred to undertake a bloodbath, get stampeded,. bear subsequent imprisonment and torture of their women and children, than to give into a satanic order. As aptly said by Moulvi Syed Muhammad Ali Shauq of Lucknow. 'Khoon mein doob kar paar lag gaya Islam; Aur tumhen kya maloom Karbala kya hei' i.e. Islam crossed over after being immersed in blood; and what you know what is the reality of Karbala.
That expression was further superbly synchronised by Dr Allama Iqbal, as he characterised the tragedy of Karbala in his Persian masterpiece Rumuz-e-Bekhudi, "If the true meaning. philosophy behind the mystery of this martyrdom were fully understood; the focal point (qibla) of all Muslims would become the shrine of Shabbir [Imam Hussain]. Again in Baal-e-Jibril, the Poet of East submits: 'Haqiqat-e-abadi hay maqam-e-Shabbiri; Badaltay rahay hain andaze Kufio-Shami i.e. the stature of Hussain is an eternal truth; the ways of the Kufis and the Syrians continue to change. That befitting tribute underscores the intensity of admiration. love for Hussain and his unrelenting companions in the deserts of Karbala, who endured three days and thirst and hunger but never bowed down.
An exceptional occurrence worth mentioning is the unwavering loyalty of Hussain's companions: as on the eve of 10th Muharram. the Holy Imam put his candles off, asking associates to go away if they thought that his mission is worldly or not worth a cause for sacrificing lives. None departed; they all cried to submit to the Will of Allah and the commandants of the Holy Imam. Rather, Hur ibn Yazid Al-Riyahi, a commander in the Umayyad army, defected. joined Hussain on the morning of Ashura, just before the fighting began. (Ref: Ibn A'tham Al-Kufi's Al-Futuh).
Hur's repentance, indeed, is a role model. opens floodgates for all those who want to rejoin the path of Hussain for rectifying their misdeeds. Hussain's gratitude was squarely reflected as he said, "The companions I got were missed by my Baba (Ali). Nana (Muhammad)." (Ref: Tarikh Al-Tabari, Volume-5 by Ibn Jabir Al Tabiri; and Kitab Al-Irshad by Sheikh Al-Mufid). That is what makes Karbala an organic. immortal example till the doomsday for all those who are rightly guided and have faith in the Oneness of God, and unequivocally believe that death is not an end, but means to salvation, if undertaken in the obedience of the Holy Spirit.
Imam Hussain is immortal and his message transcends religions and centuries. Never in human history will there be a character who inspired so few – just 72 souls – to muster the courage to fight a force close to a million; embraced martyrdom;. then rise and shine again. That was possible only because Hussain was representing Oneness of God (towhid). Having nursed in the lap of the Prophet (PBUH) had made him an unconquerable soul who stood up against the idols of wickedness. deceit.
Never is there an example of a 10-hour-long battle that continues to instil valour in generations. motivate them towards truth, inspire them to call a spade a spade. "Driven by the universal resonance of Hussain's supreme sacrifice. the revolutionary poet Josh Malihabadi beautifully declared, 'Insan ko bedar to ho lene do; Har qoum pukaregi hamare hain Hussain' i.e. Just let mankind awaken, every nation will proclaim that Hussain belongs to us.
Karbala is beyond ritual and devotion. It touches the human heart, irrespective of faith and belief. Imam Hussain's refusal to surrender - even at the cost of total annihilation - is what makes him an eternal beacon of human dignity. Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle, in his 1840 book On Heroes, Hero-Worship,. the Heroic in History, noted, "Hussain's minority in numbers marvelled him, emphasising that Hussain and his companions were rigid, devoted believers in God."
Ashura, in fact, is an opportunity to awaken mankind from slumber,. navigate synergies towards erecting a compassionate, law-abiding and deceit-free society. These ideals are free from geography and belief. The sorrows in our midst are because we have enslaved ourselves with self-centred worldly obsessions, conveniently forgetting that the Almighty had chosen a path for us in submission to His Will. teachings. Hussain embodied that spirit and became immortal. This is why Karbala is unforgettable, and serves as a denominator for all races and religions.
Salute to Hussain ibn-Ali, for whom the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, "Verily, Hussain is the lamp of guidance. the ark of salvation, (Hadith-e-Qudsi by Bihar Al-Anwar of Allama Baqar Al-Majlisi and Mustadrak Al-Wasa'il, compiled by Mirza Husain Noori). The martyr whose body bore more than 900 wounds as he went down fighting in submission to the Almighty. rendering His Deen (religion) a living testament. Hussain restored the glory of Islam and its truthfulness with his pious blood. Hussain kept a promise he made with his grandfather (PBUH);. in lieu Allah has sanctified Hussain's remembrance for all times to come.
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