Message of Karbala

by Zeeshan Rasool Khan 

Islamic year, consisting of twelve months begins with the month of Muharram. Although all these months are significant, holding a special importance but the Quran has declared four months much sacred, which involves Zulqadah, Zulhijjah, and Rajab and the first month – Muharram. Even before the advent of Islam, it was considered as blessed owing to many historical events of great worth that took place in this month. Prophet Moses (A.s) triumphed over his rival Pharaoh and month was Muharram .It was this holy month wherein the ship of Noah (A.s) found resting place in the terrible flood. Also, in religion of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the month of Muharram acquired much sanctity. About this month, Prophet (pbuh) said; the best fasting after Ramadan is fasting in the month of Muharram (Sahih Muslim).

Later in 680 A.D, 10th Muharram turned out to be the day when beautiful flowers of Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) garden were trampled by the army of Yazeed in the battle of Karbala- that became the recognition of this month. The tragedy of Karbala has profound significance for all Muslims. It has left such an impact that even after hundreds of years it is fresh in minds of the Muslims. This tragic event has not only influenced Muslims but non-Muslims as well, for it was not the battle for gaining power or to conquest a territory. It was a clash between monarchy and Khilafat (Islamic mode of government based on consultation, selective democracy, and piety). It was a confrontation between justice and oppression and purely a courageous act of opposing falsehood, despotism, and savagery. It was the struggle where the hallowed family members of Prophet (pbuh) under the leadership of Prophet’s grandson Imam Hussein (a.s) preferred to lay down their lives rather than compromising on their scrupulous stand. Literally, they watered and rejuvenated the field of Islam with their pious blood to maintain its pristine and to provide it everlasting liveliness. Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti rightly said; ‘Haqa ke Binaye Laila ast Hussein. Hussein is the foundation of ‘There is no God but Allah’- the fundamental of Islam.

Allama Iqbal, while explaining the philosophy of this battle writes: Mudda’yash saltanat boody agar; Khud na harday ba chunin samaan e safar (Ramooz e Beykhoodi). Meaning, Imam Hussein’s only aim behind refusing to give allegiance to Yazeed was to uphold the truth and the glory of Islam. It is clear from the fact that when he left Medina for Mecca, he had a small band of his kith and kin, including sisters and children with him. Some companions were in their 80’s. If he had envisaged raging a political war, he would not have taken such people with him. As for war old men, women, and baby like 6-month old Ali-Asgar are not required, which were accompanying Imam Hussein in the battlefield.

Muslims worldwide commemorate this event in a way as if the tragedy of Karbala has occurred yesterday, which is indubitably enlivening. However, the mere commemoration of this tragedy is not enough. In fact, restricting this tragedy to remembrance and mourning is injustice to the teachings of Imam Hussein and his companions, because their sacrifice has enormous meaning. They gave a lesson to us with their blood. To defend the truth they chose to clash with the government of Yazid. They knew they could not defeat the mighty army of Yazeed, but did not tolerate any change in the Islamic principles. For holding up the head of the Ummah, Imam Hussein allowed his own head to be chopped. Thus, to express our love for martyrs of Karbala especially with the sacred reformative mission of Imam Hussein, the best way is to imbibe the message of Karbala.

The tyranny and oppression occur almost every day in different parts of the world. Almost everywhere, the people face atrocities, injustice has become the norm, and dishonesty has suppressed honesty. Morality has degraded. We have lost the ability to differentiate between good from bad. And in this situation, Karbala is issuing a clarion call to the people not to accept this system. It teaches us not be neutral or silent in situations of tyranny, oppression, and injustice, instead we ought to stand against all this. Karbala resounds even today asking us to reject any such idea that can be disadvantaging to our religion,  implicitly cautioning us to remain adhered to the teachings of Islam- a complete code of life.

May Allah grant us ability to follow teachings of Imam Hussein (A.S) and his comrades.

 Zeeshan Rasool Khan

FREEDOM IN THE EYES OF HUSSAIN

BY MUNTADAR KADHIM

Freedom is a lofty value that all humans recognise irrespective of sect or religion.  This is especially true of those who commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who died opposing the corrupt dictator of his time, Yazid ibn Muawiyah.

I think it would be interesting to reflect on what freedom means, in the context of Ashura, and through the prism of Imam Hussain and his companions. First, let’s begin by briefly discussing two concepts of freedom.

Freedom To Do What You Like

In contemporary culture, to be free is to be able to do what you like. Freedom is the absence of the interference of others in your life, allowing you to lead the life you see fit.  This concept of freedom is that of Classical Liberalism, which has historically been very influential. Because its focus is on the absence of something, namely the absence of interference of others, it has been dubbed ‘negative freedom’.  If someone forces you to do something, then they are restricting your negative freedom, because they are interfering with your life. When the corrupt ruler Yazid oppressed Muslims through threats, intimidation, imprisonment, and worse, he restricted their freedom in this sense of freedom.

Arguably it was this sense of freedom that Imam Hussain was referring to when he addressed the enemies saying,

“If you do not believe in God and the Hereafter, at least be free in this world”.

In other words, don’t let Yazid and his thugs force you to do their bidding; don’t let them interfere with your life in this way. This sort of freedom was recognised by all, including the soldiers of Yazid, many of them being Kufans who joined Yazid’s army out of fear.

A Deeper Sense of Freedom

But there is more to freedom than non-interference of others. Think about the alcoholic who lives in a liberal society with very few restrictions. The alcoholic does what he likes – he drinks alcohol. While he might be free to do this as no one is interfering in his life to stop him, and so is free in the sense of freedom discussed above, in a deeper sense he is anything but free; rather he is a slave to his addiction, spending all his time between intoxication and seeking more alcohol to satisfy his cravings. Or consider the person driven by his animalistic passions, whose sole concern is to satisfy those base desires in any way he can. He is ruled by his desires, and lives his life in the prison of these desires, unable to break free and appreciate the greater things in life.

What this shows is that there is a deeper, more profound sense of freedom, that isn’t simply freedom from interference of others, or freedom to do what you like. This deeper, ‘positive’ notion of freedom is concerned with fulfilling your potential as a human being, which is to fulfil your potential as a moral and spiritual being.  This is no small thing. To achieve this type of freedom is to refuse to be a slave to drugs and alcohol, and to rule over your own animalistic desires rather than let them rule over you. It is to not give into peer pressure, blindly following the herd, easily swayed by the opinion of the majority and ‘turning whichever way the wind blows’ in the words of Imam Ali.  It is to fulfil your purpose in creation as a spiritual being, through submission to the ultimate source of all goodness and devotion to Him. It requires knowledge of important truths, strength, and courage to act on them, and perseverance to remain on the path.

Imam Hussain’s Sense of Freedom

So what of Imam Hussain?  There can be no question that he was an exemplar of this deeper sense of freedom, through his devotion to God and application of lofty Islamic principles in his life, his courage, and patience in the face of the greatest trials, and impossible odds. While Yazid’s army restricted his negative freedom, he was on the day of Ashura the freest man on Earth.

We call Imam Hussain Abul Ahrar – the father of the free – a title he holds in part because of the freedom he inspired in his companions. Companions such as Hurr, a general in Yazid’s army who intercepted Imam Hussain on the way to Kufa, and who was responsible for trapping the Imam in Karbala. Hur’s story is an incredible tale of forgiveness and redemption, for when Hur came to realise the evil of what he had done, he defected from Yazid’s army and joined Imam Hussain, in the face of certain death. After seeking forgiveness from the Imam, he became one of the first to fight the enemy and be martyred. Imam Hussain then approached the lifeless body of Hurr, whose name literally means ‘free’ in Arabic, and wiping away soil and blood from his face he said, ‘Congratulations Hurr! You are free (hurr) as your mother named you, free in this life and the next!’.

Contrast this with Umar Ibn Saad, who led the army against Imam Hussain after being promised the rulership of Ray in Iran by Ibn Ziyad.  Although he was freer than Imam Hussain and his companions in the superficial negative sense of freedom, he was ultimately a slave to his greed and love for wealth and power. He was at the mercy of these spiritual vices and under the command of Iblis, so was in the deeper and more important sense not free at all.

Perhaps it was this sense of freedom Muslim ibn Aqeel, Hussain’s emissary, was referring to, when in the midst of battle, on the streets of Kufa he was offered safety by his enemies. Muslim replied in the form of beautiful poetry that began,

“I swear I will not be killed except as a free man.”

This offer of safety, even if true, and even if it allowed Muslim to live a life without interference, would have compromised his real freedom.

Indeed the battle of Karbala is a battle between the free and the slaves. It is a battle between those who conquered their animalistic self (nafs) and those who were ruled by it. In the words of Imam Hussain himself,

“By God, I shall not surrender as one humiliated, nor shall I escape like a slave.”

We pray to Allah that He gives us the ability to learn from Imam Hussain how to be free.