Md. Asifur Rahman : Ashura- the 10th Muharram is the day of martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.). In the year of 61st A.H. he and his family members were killed by the soldiers of the Yazid ibn Muawiya. Every year Muslims of the world remember this tragic event. But it is a matter of sorrow that we only remember the tragedy, but forget the ideology for what he sacrificed his life. Whenever we discuss about the Ashura we say that he fought against a wicked ruler and they killed him along with his family without giving them a single drop of water to quench their thirst. We neither discuss about the background of his martyrdom, nor the causes of his movement.
If we do not discuss these matters, the sacrifice of Imam Hussain will remain to us as a tragic event only; we can not learn any lesson from it. Therefore, we must discuss about the background and analyze the causes of his movement.
Before entering the discussion we should know what status and position does Imam Hussain hold in Islam. It is very essential for realizing the movement.
Status of Imam Hussain
As a member of the household of the prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S), Imam Hussain has been declared infallible by the almighty Allah in the holy Quran:
‘…Indeed Allah desires to repet all impurity from you, O People of the Hosehold, and purify you with a thorough purification.’ (Sura Al-Ahzab: 33)
In the traditions (Ahadith) of prophet (S) we find many comments about Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain. Here we are quoting only one from those:
اَلْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ سَيِّدَا شَبَابِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ
‘Hasan and Hussain are the leaders of the young of the heaven.’ (Jame Al-Tirmiji)
Sometimes we can not realize the meaning of this tradition. Many of us think that they were the grandsons of prophet (S) and he loved them much. So he praised them, even he called them ‘the leaders of the heaven.’
Were these compliments only because of prophet’s affection to them?
If we discuss about their lives, the answer will be manifested to us and we will see how they sacrificed for the sake of Islam.
Here we will discuss about Imam Hussain only. Imam Hussain got seven years of the life of prophet (S). He learnt the basic teachings of Islam from prophet. After the demise of prophet (S) he brought up by ‘the door of the knowledge of the prophet’ Hazrat Ali (A.) and ‘the leader of Women in heaven’ Hazrat Fatima (A.). He learnt from the struggling life of his father also.
He did not get the opportunity to fight against the infidels in the presence of prophet (S), but in the period of the Khilafat of Hazrat Ali, his fight began. After a long time when the sheathed sword of Hazrat Ali unsheathed, Imam Hussain stood by his father with the sword in his hand. After the martyrdom of his father he played the same role in the time of the Khilafat of his elder brother Imam Hasan (A.).
He was the witness of the sacrifice of his mother, father and his elder brother. Now the time has come to sacrifice himself. How did he sacrifice? Did he sacrifice lonely? No, he sacrificed his children, his kin and his friends along with him.
Because of his great sacrifice for the sake of Islam, he is ‘the leader of the young of heaven’, not for the relationship to prophet (S).
We see in the history that the status of all of the relatives of prophet (S) was not the same. Some of his relatives had superiority to others. Prophet (S) himself declared the status of them. Such as he declared his uncle Hazrat Hamzah as ‘the leader of Martyr’, his daughter Hazrat Fatima as ‘the leader of Women in heaven’, his grandson Imam Hasan as ‘the leader of the young of heaven’, and his cousin Hazrat Jafar ibn Abi Talib as ‘the bird’ (Tayyer).
In the history we find their contribution to Islam and their sacrifices. So, we can say that prophet (S) did not comment on them because of their relationship to him, but for their contribution and sacrifices. And this is the standard of the status in Islam which has been stated in the holy Quran:
‘…Indeed the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most God wary among you…’ (Sura Al-Hujurat: 13)
From this verse we can understand that Islam has taken in consideration God wary (the taqwa) as the standard of the status of human being and it rejects the standard based on the kinship.
Muttaqi completely surrender to the order of the almighty Allah. He fulfills his duty with the tranquil heart and he dedicates his whole life to serve the Islam. Such personality does not hesitate to obey the order of Allah and nothing can abstain him from doing that.
Imam Hussain was that kind of personality who has engaged his whole life to serve the Islam. As prophet (S) struggled to establish Islam, Imam Hussain also struggled for the rebirth of Islam. By sacrificing his life he has established the supreme model of sacrifice in the world.
Besides this, we find the denial of the status on the basis of relationship in the previous history of the prophets. The wives of prophet Nuh and Lut are the examples of it. Quran states that they died on infidelity and their residence will be the hell.
From the viewpoint of the holy Quran, we can realize the status of Imam Hussain.
The background of the martyrdom Imam Hussain
What happened after the demise of the prophet (S), which caused the martyrdom of Imam Hussain within only fifty years of his demise?
We can not think of it, suddenly Yazid ibn Muayiah came to the power and he ordered Imam Hussain to accept him as the ruler of Muslim ummah. Imam Hussain refused and began his movement. When he was going to Kufa he was compelled to go to Karbala and there he died tragically. As if, all was going smoothly, suddenly the incident of Karbala occurred.
In fact, it has a long background. Here we will discuss it very shortly. We find in the history that after the demise of prophets some of their followers used to misguide the people, they wanted to destroy the religion. Same thing happened in Islam. When prophet of Islam died there were some people among Muslims who did not accept Islam from their heart, but the situation compelled them to accept Islam. They wanted to do harm and destroy it. The tragedy of Karbala occurred because of the continuous conspiracy of those people.
Because of these people the unrest began in the time of the Khilafat of Hazrat Uthman and finally he was killed. This unrest continued in the time of the Khilafat of Hazrat Ali. The battle of Camel and Siffin held in a very short time. After the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali, Imam Hasan was killed by the hypocrites. Then Amir Muawiya appointed his wicked son Yazid as the Khalifa of the Muslim Ummah.
People began to violate Islamic rules and regulations. Even the Khalifa himself began to violate Islamic Law openly. He was trying to destroy Islam. Imam Hussain said about this:
وَ علَي الْإِسْلَامِ السَّلَامُ إِذْ قَدْ بُلِيَتِ الْأُمَّةُ بِرَاعٍ مِثْلِ يَزِيْد
‘One should bid farewell to Islam when the Ummah is afflicted with such a ruler as Yazid.’
So, Imam Hussain began his movement and at the one stage of the movement he welcomed the martyrdom.
Therefore, if we think of the tragic incident of Karbala without having a background, it will be injustice to history.
Discussion on the reasons of the movement
Somebody says that Yazid ibn Muayia did seek allegiance from Imam Hussain, so he began his movement against him. But this is not right. If Yazid did not seek allegiance, surely Imam Hussain would revolt. Because it was the Islam what was at the trigger point of the ruler. Imam Hussain knew that if he did not revolt and let Yazid do whatever is opposite to Islam, every evil work will be valid and in this way Islam will be perished. People would say that Yazid did these and those mischiefs, but no one denied him. Even the leader of heaven was alive then.
On the other hand, Yazid knew that as long as Imam Hussain is alive he would not succeed. So we was in search of an opportunity to kill him.
Somebody says that people of Kufa ensured him that they would make his as their leader and they will help him to fight against Yazid ibn Muayia. After this assurance Imam Hussain decided to revolt. It is also wrong. Because it has been described in the history that when Imam Hussain left Medina to Mecca, the people of Kufa did not know that. Rather people of Kufa knew that after two months of his arrival at Mecca. After knowing that they wrote him thousands of letters. They invited him to come to Kufa.
Somebody says: Imam Hussain made a mistake to judge the sentiment of the people of Kufa and he should not trust them. In spite of his knowing about their betrayal with his father and his brother, why did he decide to go to Kufa?
Ok, let us discuss about it. The people of Kufa seek his help to eradicate the tyrant ruler. It was Imam’s duty to response to them. If this kind of invitation would come from anywhere else, he would response to them. But there were no other calls for him.
In fact, Imam Hussain went to Mecca, because Zilhaz- the month of pilgrimage was near. In this month Muslims from all parts of the Islamic state gather in Mecca. He wanted them to know about his mission. But In Mecca the soldiers of Yazid was trying to assassinate him. So, he had no choice other than to left Mecca. In this situation he received the invitation from the people of Kufa. So, he accepted their invitation.
Actually no one can deny the importance of the political and military power of Kufa after the incident of Karbala. Rather we find in history that the role of Kufa became the vital.
If Kufa had not any role in politics, but political and military analysts might say, though the betrayal of the people of Kufa was well-known, but Imam Hussain could justify this time. People of Kufa suffered for a long period and after those sufferings they might have rectified themselves. This time they would not betray at all. If Imam Hussain would go there, the reign of Umayyadh would fall.
Imam Hussain left no options for us to condemn him: ‘why did not he go there?’
Somebody says that Imam Hussain had no foresight. Though he had not so many soldiers and arms-ammunitions to combat against the ruler, he decided to fight. If we question about the military power of Imam Hussain, then we should question about this also: why our prophet (S) lonely revolt against the infidels of Mecca. Why did Hazrat Ibrahim (A.) stand against Namrood? And why did Hazrat Musa (A.) revolt against Farao? The answer is, great personalities always stand against tyrants in this very way and Imam Hussain was not exception to those.
The main reason (bidding what is right and forbidding what is wrong)
We can assume many reasons for his movement, but we will look for what Imam Hussain himself said about his movement. He has delivered many speeches in the way to Mecca, Kufa and Karbala. From those speeches we can find the real cause of his movement. He said in one place:
‘Don’t you see that righteousness is not acted upon and vice goes un-forbidden. In such a situation, the man of faith yearns for the meeting with his Lord… I see death as nothing but felicity and life under oppressors as nothing but disgrace.’
Another place he said:
‘I have risen up to carry out Amr bil Maruf (bid what is right), to revive the faith, and to struggle against corruption.’
Imam Hussain clarified his movement in this way:
‘Indeed, I have not risen up to do mischief, neither as an adventurer, nor to cause corruption and tyranny. I have risen up solely to seek the reform of the Ummah of my grandfather (S.)’
On the one hand, the ruler was trying to establish non-Islamic law in the society. They were violating Islamic Law. Salat was not performed in time, introducing of drinking wine, adultery, misuse of the wealth of Muslims, appointing inefficient people as the government of the states, establishing the monarchy, disgrace to the respected personalities and kill them, assassination, play with monkeys etc. has shaken the foundation of Islam.
On the other hand, Muslims did not show any reaction to the mischiefs of the rulers and their unconsciousness made the tyrant ruler more careless about the Islam. Muslims were also careless about their responsibilities. Such a situation how can Imam Hussain remain silent like others? He is the leader of heaven. So did not remain silent, he started his mission to rectify the Ummah. He has shown the difference between he and other personalities.
Sometimes people lose consciousness, they forget their responsibilities. In this situation no speech can awake them. It needs something more. When Imam Hussain saw that his speeches had no influence on the people, he chose another path to wake up the people. By giving his blood he woke up the people. He became stronger after his martyrdom than he was in alive. When he sacrificed himself, everybody became conscious to know why he sacrificed his life. They began to find out the reason and began to enquiry about the characteristics of the ruler. Then revolt after revolt took place. People of Mecca, Medina, Kufa and other places started to revolt against the tyrant ruler.
Actually, Yazid violated the Islamic Laws. Such a man succeed the position of the prophet (S)- the leader of Muslim Ummah, who openly used to drink wine, involved with adultery, played with monkeys. In this situation what else of Islam was remain as it was in the time of prophet (S).
So, it was the best time for revolt. Otherwise in which situation the Zihad is obligatory? And Imam Hussain has shown us the time and the process of Zihad.
Imam Hussain has also manifested the supremacy of the Muslim Ummah by bidding what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Because Allah has stated the criteria of Muslim Ummah in the holy Quran:
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‘You are the best nation [ever] brought forth for mankind: you bid what is right and forbid what is wrong…’ (Sura Al-i Imran: 110)
Conclusion
At last, we should remember that generally a man gets a title after doing a work, but prophet (S) gave the title ‘the leader of the young of heaven’ to Imam Hussain when he was a boy of six or seven years. So, we should look the works he had done after getting the title. If we think of it, we will be able to realize the movement of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him).
May Allah help us.
