Ashura
All societies, being either aware of this point or not have indeed created heroes for themselves. These heroes were then made as idols of forgiveness, sacrifice and predilection for these societies.
Some reality in these heroic/tragedy stories may exist; however they have been decorated and distorted. The other possibility is that these stories were created from imagination and do not have a presence except in their own created world. As such have the myths been written.
There is an event with a reality that seems as a figure of imagination, the Incident of Karbala. Have you heard about the Incident of Karbala?
The portrait of Karbala started from a piece of land on the outskirts of a very large desert. A person by the name of Hussein was isolated in an open field in this desert. He was with his family and companions (whom did not muster even 70). On the other side stood an army that has been sent to fight him from various regions in the area reaching in excess of 30,000 soldiers (based on even the weakest of narrations).
At one place on the field lie many palm trees and behind them a small river called the Al Alqami River, which branched from the Euphrates River. This place was where the animals quench their thirst, the plants source their nutrients and humans get their sustenance which God has provided as an honoured gift.
This large army prohibited Hussein's camp from drinking water after he was asked to choose between submitting to the rule of a thoughtless tyrant (called Yazeed), who does not know of religion, Islam, except its name or dying with thirst with all of his children, family, sons and companions. So he (Hussein) made a choice. He chooses to die beloved and strong rather than dieing weak and humiliated. He chose to be killed and cut into pieces to show to all mankind that this tyrant (Yazeed) who ruled those people and his followers are not Muslims and the path they follow is not related to Islam at all. So the pure Islam would last in perpetuity with his martyrdom, as the honoured Prophet Mohamed stated:
"Hussein is from me and I am from Hussein"
Therefore, the case here is different from those myths because the personalities of the event are here with their bodies, souls and breaths. They still exist in every place and time.
One would say how? The incident has occurred more than 1360 years ago so how its characters are present with us today?
Its simple, look around you and witness elements of righteousness and that of oppression. You will find that the light (of righteousness) is ever so bright where as the darkness (of oppression) is dark indeed no matter how many years or things pass by or change.
Imam Hussein represents the rightness because he is:
1. The Son of Fatima Al Zahra, daughter of the Prophet of Islam, Mohammed Ben Abdullah
2. The Son of Ali Ben Abu Talib, the leader of the Faithful, the first believer in Islam, the bravest in God’s path, the most just in his judgements and the fairest with his people
3. Many Quranic verses have been revealed to praise, tribute and describe his illustrious status
4. The Prophet of Allah has showed his sincere love to him and his brother Imam Hassan in many events
5. Many narrations from the Prophet about him and his brother Hassan have illuminated their status in this world and the hereafter
6. Loving him has been made a compulsory deed in God’s religion as a reward for the Prophethood, as Allah said: “Say (O Mohammed, unto mankind): I ask you no fee therefore except loving kindness towards my kinsfolk {42:23 Holy Qur’an}
7. Because Hussein is of the Prophet’s progeny, saluting him 9 times every day and night is compulsory upon every Muslim, which is the number of times we salute Mohammed in our daily prayers.
Therefore, the picture painted of Hussein was transparent for all Muslims at that time.
On top of all which has been mentioned about Hussein, the opposing army also saw the greatness of him themselves.
Hussein knew the intentions of the army of 1,000 knights who had come in the night with the aim to kill him. They had acquired such a thirst from marching to kill him that they met Hussein in his way to Iraq from Arabia. How did he treat them?
Indeed, he gave them (army) and their horses water to drink with his own holy hands.
It is himself who put his cheek on the cheek of his black servant while he was dying in the same way that he put his cheek on the cheek of his son Ali Al Akbar when he was dying.
Are you not surprised that such a great person in the heavens and earth was:
- Prohibited from drinking water even all of his family, children and companions
- His tents were burnt
- His children were killed, including his infant child when he was taken to get some water after his mum was empty of breast milk. A welter occurred in the enemy’s army; some thought he should be given some water while others said that none should be spared in this household. Until an arrow came from their camp towards this infant child to slaughter him.
- They killed all his companions and sons
- That was not enough for them, so they darted him with stones, arrows and spears. They attacked him with swords until he fell down on the ground from the top of his horse. Then one of them sat on his chest, while he is the son of the Prophet’s daughter.
- His head was cut in front of many people who were claiming to be Muslims
- When his head was carried on the top of a long spear, all of them said “Allahu Akbar” Allah is the greatest {how today is similar to yesterday!}
- His holy body was then trampled on with the horses of the enemy’s army
- What was worse was the way in which the remaining household of the Prophet (women and children) were treated when they were taken captive as prisoners from one city to another.
If there was no fear of public revolt they (enemies) would have committed even more crimes.
Today we see the cutting of heads, bombings, even of bakeries, the killing of children and innocent people, we see what occurred from suicide bombings in different parts of the globe, especially what happened in Karbala last year where bombs where aimed at the holy city containing more than two million visitors. All of these are indications of what their ancestors have done in so far as killing innocent people under the guise of Islam and religion, whereas Islam is far from such acts.
These notions were brought to surface by Hussein in his announcement upon leaving the Holy Medina towards Iraq:
“I did not revolt to cause evil, tyranny or corruption, but to reform my grandfather’s (Prophet Mohamed) nation. I want to enjoin the good and denounce the evil, and take the course of my grand father and father Ali Ben Abu Talib.So whoever accepts me in the acceptance of rightness as truly Allah is the right one. And whoever opposed me, I will be patient until Allah judges between me and those people. Truly Allah is the best judge” [Al Moqtal, Al Kharazmi, Part 2, Page 188. Maqtal Al Awalim, Page 54]
Various theologians, politicians and others have discovered the greatness of Hussein and his revolution some of whom are as follows:
· Tony Barra in his book (Hussein in the Christian Thought) states:
-
The incident of Karbala was not a military incident that finished with a victory or a defeat but it was a sign for a greater cause that has no relation to the struggle between strength and weakness. It was a struggle between doubt and belief, between rightness and oppression
-
Hussein has preferred the guided humanitarian reform of his grandfather’s nation on his own life. So in Ashura, he was a sign for the true face of religion at all times. So when they closed all the ways in front of him and made him chose between being killed or submission, he said his famous statement:
“I swear by Allah, that I will not submit to you as a slave would do, and I will not run away as slaves do”
· Archbishop Salim Ghazal, the head of the Catholic Church of Lebanon said:
“In this occasion, we stand a stand of prestige and greatness in front of the drama of this sensational tragedy. Because it shows the oppression that occurred against the human and humanity. It shows a big thirst to get the government and attacking all the values and beliefs that the Islamic message was formed based on and even the message of all the religions.
He continued:
“Truly, the tragedy of Karbala has been transformed in the Islamic history to a school that carries the banners or justice, rightness, love, sacrifice and braveness against the banners of delegation, screaming and defeat and against those who wanted to attack Islam and its teachings” {Le waa Saida and South Lebanon Newspaper}·
Mahatma Ghandi once said: -
“I learnt from Hussein how to be oppressed yet victorious”
|
