One of the most heinous tragedies in Islamic history happened on the day of Ashura. The love of fame and power by a so-called Muslim ruler did not let him spare even the life of the grandson of the Prophet of Islam (SAW). Hazrat Hussain (RA) was born on 4th AH. The love and respect of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for his grandson was so much that even times when Prophet Muhamad (SAW) was in prostration (Sajidah) during prayer, his grandson would climb on his back and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would remain in prostration for long some time. After completing the prayer, Prophet (SAW) would lift them into his lap.
On the day of Ashura, one of the most horrifying disasters in Islamic history occurred. A so-called Muslim ruler’s lust for fame and power did not let him spare even the life of the Prophet of Islam’s grandson. On the fourth AH, Hazrat Hussain (RA) was born. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) loved and respected his grandson so much that on occasion, while he was performing the prostration (Sajidah) during prayer, the grandson would climb on his back and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would remain in the position for an extended period of time. Prophet (SAW) would lift them into his lap after the prayer.
Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) is venerated for his perseverance, indomitable spirit, and the ultimate sacrifice he and his people made, standing tall among even the giants that litter Islam’s past. When individuals stand out against oppression or even just try to do the right thing, their spirit frequently serves as an inspiration. The adored grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Hazrat Hussain (RA), was the son of Hazrat Ali (RA), the fourth Caliph of Islam’s of Khulaf-e-Rasheedin, and Fatimah (RA), the Prophet’s daughter.
Hazrat Hussain (RA) is from me and I am from Hussain, the Prophet (SAW) is said, which scholars have translated as meaning.”Hussain has come into being through me and are the means by which my religion will endure”.Imam Hussain (RA) is a significant figure in Islam since he belonged to Muhammad’s family (Ahl al-Bayt) and the Cloak’s people (Ahl al-Kisa), and he was exceptional in the special station that Allah had bestowed upon him.
The restoration of the real character of Islam, which the ruling classes at the time, particularly the second ruler of the Umayyad dynasty Yazid bin Mawiyah bin Abu Sufyan(680683 AD), were deliberately corrupting, is regarded as Imam Hussain’s (RA) greatest accomplishment. In essence, his job is described as “Sar dad, na dad dast, dar dast-e-Yazeed, Haqaa key binaey La ila ast Hussain” by preacher Hazrat Muhideen Chesti, also known as Khawaja Garib Nawaz. The phrase literally reads, “Hussain gave his head but not his hand (allegiance) to Yazid, and Hussain (RA) is the only one who maintains the truth”.
The memory of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA)
The memory of Hazrat Hussain (RA) has inspired various movements and countless men, including those who took part in the Indian independence movement against the British in 1947, to stand up against wrongdoers and injustice. This can be inferred from Ghandhi’s alleged statements that “if I had an army like the 72 soldiers of Hussain, I would have won freedom for India in 24 hours,” “I learned from Hussain how to be wronged and be a winner,” and “I learnt from Hussain how to attain victory while being oppressed.”
Nelson Mandela and others adhered to Imam Hussain’s teachings. Nelson Mandela once remarked, “I have spent more than 20 years in prison, and one night I considered giving up by signing all of the government’s terms and conditions. However, the Karbala movement and Imam Hussain (RA) quickly sprang to mind. I had the fortitude to fight for the right to freedom and liberation because of Imam Hussein (RA), and I did.
In the course of human history, the catastrophe of Karbala is unmatched. The enormous sacrifice Imam Hussain (RA) made on Ashura (10 Muharram 61 AH) and the steadfastness he exhibited serve as an example for all oppressed people worldwide. At Karbala, Yazid Ibn Mawiyah, a despot who had usurped the Caliphate, with more than 20,000 armed men surrounded Imam Hussain’s small traveling party. Hazrat Imam Hussain refused to swear allegiance to Yazid as a result of which Yazid’s troops tortured Hussain, his family, and his entourage indescribably until they were all but wiped out.
History amply demonstrates the genuine victory of righteousness. Imam Hussain and his companions were slain, and their family members, particularly the women of the home and Imam Hussain’s lone surviving son, Imam Zainul Abedin, were seized as hostages.
The entire world mourns Imam Hussain (RA) and his family on Ashura. Standing on one side of the Euphrates River with his tiny company of 72 people, including his siblings, sons, the elderly, and the young, Imam Hussain, the emblem of truth, piety, and justice, had been representing all of Islam. One Hussain companion who was 80 years old but persistent in his purpose was Habib Ibn Mazahir. Imar ibn Saad, the commander of the Yazids, stationed against them with thousands of well-armed soldiers, blocking the way to water for days. The Battle of Karbala was over before to the Asr prayer on that tragic day in October 680 AD. Along with Imam Hussain’s six-month-old son, the 72 male companions of Imam Hussain were slain.
The struggle in the narrative of Karbala is one that all oppressed people experience. “Let humanity awaken, and every nation will claim Hussain as their own,” the poet declares. Yazid’s death is intertwined with Imam Hussain’s (RA) martyrdom since Islam raises the dead following each Karbala. From Karbala to Kufah and from Kufah to Damascus, Syria, the survivors were tied and forced to walk barefoot on the scorching desert stands. The ladies and children endured horrendous suffering the entire way. Karbala stands for non-violent resistance, elegance, and unwavering perseverance in the face of insurmountable odds—even if it means giving your own life to uphold Islam. The victims of Karbala demonstrated that even in the face of overwhelming odds, truth and justice will finally triumph.
The palaces and forts of the Yazid with all their wealth have perished and vanished from the face of the earth, but the spirit of Karbala and Imam Hussain lives on to inspire and guide. Imam Hussain and his family’s blood at Karbala has such force that it will forever be remembered as a defining point in the history of Islam, leaving all Muslims with a deep affection for Hussain and his companions.
“If Hussain had fought to quench his worldly desires…then I don’t understand why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him,” wrote Charles Dickens. Therefore, it seems sense that he gave his life solely in the name of Islam.
“Though Imam Hussain gave his life years ago, but his indestructible soul rules the hearts of the people even today,” said Dr. Radha Krishnan.
No war in human history—both recent and ancient—has garnered more pity and adoration, or taught us more valuable lessons, than Hussain’s martyrdom in the battle of Karbala, according to Antoine Bara.
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Dr Kutay Sahb