Today is Ashura
Sacrifice for the glory of Islam enlivens the brave heart. Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), resurrected the Islam with his martyrdom at Karbala. The incident of Karbala embodies a tale of bravery, patience, self-mortification, endurance, and steadfastness. The saga of Karbala is all about the fight between evil and good. Karbala recalls the spirit of standing against the oppressors even without consideration of death and loss of family. The tyrants of the Syrian horde witnessed the strength of character, intrepidness, and perseverance of Hazrat Imam Hussain, Ahle-Bait, and his loyal companions.
Undoubtedly, Hazrat Imam Hussain advocated for the inviolable rights of others, and his famous quote that “the best ruler is one who eliminates cruelty and stands for justice” reflects this. He rejected injustice and tyranny and he always adopts the path of righteousness, no matter how difficult it is. Moreover, Karbala is never meant for personal gain and political motives, so it is totally misgiving that Hazrat Imam Hussain developed a tendency of political consideration. Furthermore, every school of thought elaborated the saga of Karbala in their own tone and voice. He raised a voice against Yazzidi forces, and never kowtowed to aggression and brutality. Consequently, the predicament of Karbala revives the true spirit of Islam, based on sacrifices and self-edification. Thus, the event of Karbala delineates the fight among good and vile.
In essence, the lesson of Karbala is of truth, bravery, patience, and perseverance.
It is not about tragedy but exalted sacrifice. It is a lesson to fight against evil and atrocity at all costs. The sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his comrades is the damnation of execrable Yazid. Indeed, the victory of good is high-sounding and pervasive in nature.
The message of righteousness and standing upright against the cruel system has enlightened the purest hearts and darkened the seared hearts
The heroism and valiance of the Hussaini Camp was immortalized, and the cruelty and subterfuge of Yazidi followers became a symbol of shame and ignominy in the rolling pages of history.
The standard bearer (Alamdar) Hazrat Abbas bin Ali marked the value of loyalty, nobility, dedication, and resoluteness till the last drop of blood. His brave and lofty character attained the acme when he decided to fetch water for little children and women.
In the midst of scorching heat, he went to the river Euphrates, and martyred fighting valiantly in the face of vile aggression.
Also, Hazrat Abbas bin Ali stayed devoted to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) till his martyrdom. The pious caliphate is the glorified criterion of Islam, and the disciples of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) dedicated their lives for the cause of Islam. But there were the rulers who looked for their vested desires instead of giving relief to the people, and the conspiracies against Islam were commenced in the domains of the pious caliphs. Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions laid their precious lives in Karbala for the purpose of Islam. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) prayed for Hazrat Imam Hussain and Hazrat Imam Hasan, and he said, “O Allah, I loved them. May you love them. Whoever loved them, loved me in the real sense.”
Moreover, Hazrat Imam Hussain, being a descendant of Ahle-Bait, endeavoured to salvage Islam, and he did not yield to Yazeed as a caliph. He rebelled against the existing rotten system, and he sacrificed the lives of his kith and kin in order to revive true Islam. His martyrdom is the bloodiest event of Islamic history, though centuries have been passed. Indeed, the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain renders a great lesson. Though Yazeed and his army won the battle, Hazrat Imam Hussain revived Islam by giving his life.
His firmness, determination, and loyalty to Islam will remain a beacon of light for the whole Muslim Ummah up to the Day of Judgment. Therefore, we should take a lesson from the sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain. It is our duty to struggle for an Islamic system, and we should secure our faith. We should be ready to sacrifice everything for Allah and the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
What happened on the fateful day of Ashura carries the lesson of bravery, courage, fortitude, righteousness, and steadfastness against evil, moral turpitude, and oppression of reign of terror. Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his ennobled companions manifestly demarcated the line between right and wrong, and he unfurled the flag of Islam by sacrificing his life. He genuflected in front of Almighty Allah instead of bowing before the evil forces of darkness. He consecrated the institution of Caliphate by not doing allegiance to the abominable Yazid. As a result, Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) was immortalized in the annals of history as a hero of Islam who accepted death as a noble choice and refused to pay homage to forces of darkness. No one can escape death, but if it comes with dignity and on the path of Almighty Allah; it is a sacrifice and noble death.
Also, Hurr al-Riyahi, the first commander to make a sortie of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (RA) troops and hold their access to the water of Euphrates, showed repentance and asked Hazrat Imam Hussain for forgiveness, and was acclaimed as a martyr of Karbala on the side of goodness and Allah’s Path. This shows that it is never too late to repent.
Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) exhibited patience, endurance, and resilience in the face of brutality, aggression, ferocity, and inhumanity on Ashura, when his family members and companions were decapitated and martyred. Indeed, such composure in extreme adversity is the hallmark of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), and the exalted sacrifice beholds the struggle and strives to forbid the evil and enjoin the good to all the generation to come so they can learn the majestic lesson of not surrendering to evil and depredation.
Indeed, Karbala is a tale of brutality and oppression, as the decapitated heads were mounted on spears, and the women and children of Ahle-Bait were tortured on the way to Damascus (the Headquarters of cursed Yazid). The evil does not live long, and it perishes its ignominious death; that’s what happened with Yazid. Therefore, Ashura is the conquest of truth. It is considered to be the biggest tragedy in the history of mankind. The sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) is the debacle of kingship of Yazid and his allied forces. And the enlightening and fiery speeches of Hazrat Zainab (RA) in the court of Yazid bears testimony of her bravery, when she roused the slumbered and rusty consciences of besotted Muslims around on keeping silent on the tragic incident of Karbala. Even Nelson Mandela narrated that in the moment of darkness, when he was languishing in Jail, withered and decrepit, and was on the verge of surrender to the stipulations of Government, he resorted to philosophy of Karbala and said, “Hussain gave me strength to stand for right of freedom and liberation and I did.”
In essence, the lesson of Karbala is of truth, bravery, patience, and perseverance.
It is not about tragedy but exalted sacrifice. It is a lesson to fight against evil and atrocity at all costs. The sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his comrades is the damnation of execrable Yazid. Indeed, the victory of good is high-sounding and pervasive in nature.
The message of righteousness and standing upright against the cruel system has enlightened the purest hearts and darkened the seared hearts.
