My advice today for all the believers is to defend the rightful sect's

الوصيه سماحة المرجعبسم الله الرحمن الرحيماللهم صل على محمد وآل محمد وعجل فرجهم أهلك اعدائهمأنا في حال تشييع جنازتي ونقل جثماني إلى قبري على أيدي تلامذتي الأعزاء الذين تعبت في تر بيتهمي ولم أعرف التعطيل يوماًي ولم أترك النصيحة لهم أبداً ولم أنصح نصيحة قبل أن أعمل بهاي نصيحتي اليوم لجميع المؤمنين الغيارى هي لدفاع عن مسلمات المذهب الحق وأن لايعطوا لأحد مجالاً للتشكيك وإلقاء الشبهات في أذهان العوام خصوصاً في قضية الشعائر الحسينية فإن حفظ المذهب في هذا العصر يتوقف على حفظ الشعائر الحسينيةي أنصحهم أيضاً بالمثابرة على تحصيل العلوم الدينية مقارنا لطلب رضا الله والتقيد بالتقوى ولقد كنت طالب علم طول عمري وصرفت كل أوقاتي وخصوصاً زهره شبابي في الدرس والتدريس وخدمة الحوزة العلمية من أجل أن تبقى آثار خدماتي العلمية في تلامذتي أيها الطلبة الأعزاء إن لواء هداية الناس بأيديكم فلا تتوانوا عن طريق الهداية ولا تقوموا بأي عمل يؤذي صاحب العصر والزمان فإنه ناظر لأعمالنا ومحاسب عليهاي أعزائي المؤمنين لا تنسوني من دعائكم كما كنت أدعولكم فإني أحد خدمة المذهب الحق الذين لم يسأموا يوماً من خدمة طريق أهل البيت (عليهم السلام) طلبا لرضاالبارئ عز وجلي وأخيراً أكرر طلبي وتوصيتي لكم بالمحافظة على الشعائر الحسينية وتأييدها ضمن رجائي منكم الدعاء لي في مواطن الدعاء ومظان الإجابة

Translation of his Will:Bismillah Al Rahman Al Raheem Allahumma Sally 3ala Muhammad wa Aale Muhammad , wa Ajjel Farajahum , wa Ahlek A'da2ahum .

I'm watching my funeral and my corpse descending to the grave on the hands of my dear students whom I fatigued in raising them while I haven't knew the vacancy of one day, I never left advicing them, and I haven't gave an advice before I worked by it .


My advice today for all the believers is to defend the rightful sect's postulates, and to not give anybody the chance to plant doubts and throw illusions in the public's minds and especially in the Husayni rituals case, as the preservation of the sect depends on the preservation of the Husayni rituals.


I advice them to seek the religional sciences in the sake of God's satisfaction, and to chain in Taqwa. I had been a knowledge seeker all my life and spent all my times in learning and teaching and serving the Hawzat so the traces of my scientific services can be left in my students. My dear students, the flag of islamic guidance is in your hands, so don't leave the path of guidance and don't do any act that hurts the Master of Ages [ajtf], because he looks on our deeds and account us on them .My dear believers, don't forget me from your duas like I was supplicating for you, that I am one of the servants of the rightful sect who have never get bored from serving the path of AhlulBayt (pbuh) asking the satisfaction of Allah [swt].And finally I repeat my demand from you to preserve the Husayni rituals and to advocate them, among my hope that you supplicate for me in the times of dua and places of response.Source

WHO IS BREAKING THE BACKBONE OF SHIA COMMUITY AND MARJIYAT?

WHO IS BREAKING THE BACKBONE OF SHIA COMMUITY AND MARJIYAT?


As salam u alikum,
who are these people? who approved their activities ? what relation they have with islam and islamic teachings, quranic teachings and practices of ahlulbayt?
There is no doubt..not a single shia ulema is ready to approve their activities and even those who are creater on this web treat this web like najaez aulaad....Means they take part actively in activites of saazish web but fear to give their names and link this web on their main websites? WHY?
Because they know they are wrong and busy in anti islamic activities...
Dear members just see where we reached... instead of doing tabligh of islam, spreading messages of islam, peace and brotherhood..inviting others to accept islam we waste our time and money for creating such type of web where they just target shia zakir ulema in the same way as haq chaar yaar wahabi people target shia ulema and practices....
What relation both have Allah knows but it is a time when all of you must know fitna coming from where?and why? who is behind all this activities and why they do so?
Before going in details first i would like to clear our stand ""We believe in Islamic Unity. All Learned Scholars are equally worthy of respect and honor in our eyes. We do not promote any specific scholar or Maulana. We are totally against dividing our community into different small groups on the basis of difference in their respective researches. Those who wish to create discord among us on this basis are soldiers and agents of iblees (Satan) and by creating such disputes they are support him." We also believe all the shia must respect rehber khamenai and support iran and raise their voice against those who target muslims and attack on them...
And after that i will prefer to quote message of peace from our respected leader Ayatullah khamenai..
"Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei also said...The policy of divide and rule among followers of faiths and ethnic groups is a British policy and they are very expert in n pursuing that policy and they have taught the Americans how to sow the seeds of discord among muslims.."
NOW THINK WHO THEY ARE? Follower of ayatullah khamenai or follower of and supporter of American and jews (dajjal) .
Those who visited tabbarra.com knows they were also busy in same type of activities and the day that web closed saazish web started ..same practice same style ect...
we all are human beings and do mistakes including scholars and zakirs. even they do research on islamic matters we get different results so many times depending on our awailable resources , time and locations knowledge experience ect....
In the same way so many time fatwa of mujtahids also differ in so many matters..
what is our duty? To pick the differences to create dispute among us.....abuse and insult eachother from open plateform OR to obey sicerily your marja by fearing Allah...and respect other scholars ...
we should always have the possibilty of other scholars reaching to a different result, so, we do not make it an issue of dispute, unless it carries an insult to our respected leaders and our high values of Islam. But these people all the time search the diffences and use it to divide us....
One example how they create dispute.....we all are aware that that women can touch Alam in state of Najasat is a fatwa from mujtahids.. and no body will oppose this....But here the question comes in our mind
.." Is it wajib for women to touch Alam in state of Najasat.?
We all knows NO?
Now second Question comes If any women as a respect or you can say as an extra respect.. do not want to touch Alam in najasat , do they Commit sin? We all know reply is NO ...
there is possiblity that she will get more reward for respecting sign of Hazrath Abbas..............
Then what is their problem who make this issue and teaching every where? If a zakir discuss on fazael e husain only they try to stop him by saying wasting time , misguiding shia because he do not concentrate on islamic teachings...And i ask them why they comcentrate on this najasat issue only..also teach other rulings on islam.........
One Question also comes If these people know shia want to respect and do not want to touch Alam in najasat why they insist?
In mumbai shia women reacted and that zakira is busy in repeating the same in lahore and other places also. WHY? It confirms she do not care if she hurts shia and is not ready to concentrate more on other issues which people do not know and commit sins every day..
nayab ayatullahs seestani nasiri saheb even requested her not to hurt people and do not create doubts on the basis of differences in islamic research but she is not ready to understand.......perhaps she made different Quran where creating dispute among the momineen is allowed..
If you ask this question to them they just start to send mesaages here and there...Oh mr..so and so oppose ayatullah khoi, ayatullah seestani but the fact is there is a big list where these people target nayab ayatullah seestani and neglect their messages.......and even do not hesitate to insult... nayab of ayatullah seestani and also sadaat e Ftima...
one example i am giving some one asked Hujjatul islam Sayyid Moosvi of wabil.com who is also a nayab ayatullah sestani..
Question was..."Few days ago I did read the Sermons of Martyr Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari called 'Ashura - Misrepresentations and Distortions. And I shocked that Hadhrat Qasim was not married in Karbala and other stories fabricated about the Karbala. So from where I can get authentic narrations/story of Karbala? Because in India and Pakistan these types of stories are very common in Majlisis. And tell me what our scholars are doing to prevent this? Because if whatever written in the sermons of Martyr Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari than these things are very big sins. I m confused now please immidiately guide me to authentic book or source about the Karbala "
and the answer is.....
Assalamu alaikum wr wb Different opinions about hisorical events should not make us confused. Many historians say that Hadhrat Qasim got married in Karbala as it is recited in Majlises, so, we do not take one scholar's statement for granted like Quran or Ma'sooms statements. Many books contain details of the tragedy of Karbala in cluding Bihar al Anwar by Majlisi, Maqtal Abi Makhnaf, Maqtal al-Khawarizmi, Al-Lohoof by Ibn Taawoos and many other books. We should not make such matters (like the marriage of Hadhrat Qasim) as an issue causing dispute among Mo'mineen. We should focus on mourning the tragedy, getting its great aims and teaching ourselves and others the great lessons of self purification and justice. Even if one can prove that a certain incident did not happen in Karbala, we should always have the possibilty of other scholars reaching to a different result, so, we do not make it an issue of dispute, unless it carries an insult to our respected leaders and our high values of Islam.
Wassalamu alaikum wr wb Mohammad al-Musawi http://www.themaliks.co.uk/wabil/asp/viewQuestion.asp?faq=2304
i can also declare here and there these people speak against marjiyat and against nayab ayatullahs eestani...ect which they are doing....But my intention is not gheebat or insulting any person but toask them what they are getting and to you all learn from scholars and raise your voice who insult shia scholars......If you want to know how serious is this issue...just read Last will of marhoom ayatullah tabrizi.....What he said.........
"My advice today for all the believers is to defend the rightful sect's postulates, and to not give anybody the chance to plant doubts and throw llusions in the public's minds and especially in the Husayni rituals case, as the preservation of the sect depends on the preservation of the Husayni rituals." http://tabrizi.org/index1.php?W3Village=news/67
So my dear members if you think some zakir spead nusahriyat or just a akhbari view them tell them what is right as you guide your own brethern in faith...exactly same was said in a reply from our Rehber ayatullah khamenai....
The fact is these people do nor follow rehber but use his popularity.....
Do lawz un sae jo urdu behter samjhtae hain..kyoon ki in dajjaloon ka target india aur pakistan hee hai...
yeh loog kuch batein hamesha kertae hain , gumraah kernae kae liyae...Imam husain (a.s) ki majalis kerna fazael pe wah wah kerna, masaeb batana, wiladat pae mubarakbaad dena, wafaat pae gham manana aur Imam e zaman (a.s) ko pursa dena,, yeh sab maqsad e karbala nahin tha....balki unki batoon pae amal kerna tha.......aur in batoon ki aad main yeh mukamml taur pae, majalis, matam, azadari, fazael aur masaeb , ziker e ahlulbayt ko band kerna chahtae hain....aur uski daleel inki webs pae aap ko imam (a.s) ki wiladat pae utnae message nahin mileinge , jannatul baqi demolition kae din aap kp yeh chup nazer aaeinge aur quds day pae........itna shoor ki Allah tauba......
Hazrat Ali (a.s) inki nazer main ab nahin rahae...apna kaam ker kae chalae gaye...amaal kero unki batoon pae..yeh zker kya kerna fazel ka...jab ki yahee loog Ayatullah khomaini ki batoon ka ziker kertae hain..jab ki woh bhee nahin rahae....
Haq ki baat yeh hai ki Aimma(a.s) ka ziker kero aur jitnae bhee scholars nae naek kaam kiya hai..sahee raah dikhayee unki batoon ko yaad kero......Ab woh Ayatullah khomaini hoon ya ayatullah khoi..ya reheber khamenai ya Aaalam ayatullah seestani.
Lekin adalat unmain paee jatee hai jo haq pae hoon...dajjal bhee jab aeega ya aa chuka ho ..Allah behter jane..toh muawwiya ban kae nahin aaega..bura insaan ban kae nahin aaega...balki ek naek insaan ban kae aaega aur gunahoon ki dawat dega, gumraah ker kae aur jinkae paas ilem kam hoga pehchaan nahin sakeinge..yeh dajjal hai ya Imam(a.s)..Haq hai ya batil.......
inkae gunaah ki dawat dene ka masla kabhi aur..kyoon ki bahut sae issues hain jin main yeh aurtoon kae isltemaal sae jawano ko gunaah ki dawat dae rehae hain jahaan mujtahids ki pabandi hai...
Bas ek misaal doonga.....Ek Darakht ki jad..(base) ko kamzoor ker do toh pattae, shakhein kehaan sae aaeinge.......jad (base) hai aqeeda...yaad kerna ahlulbayt ki qurbani ko...unkae fazael aur masaeb,, unkae waqeyaat aur ager yeh maloom hai toh umeed hai ki ek din is darakht pae pattae (amaal) aa jae..aur insaan Allah ki qurbat pa lae..aur yeh base hee mita do toh is naam pae ki is paed main pattae nahin aatae...toh Umeed hee khatem ho ajegii...aur yeh loopg isee shia qaum kae darakht ki jad(yaad ahlulbayt ki? ko khatem ker rahe hain....
yeh haqeeqat hai ki jisko namaz usko gunaah sae na bacha sake uski namaz uskae muh pae farishtae maar detae hain.......aur yeh insaan na jane kya kya gunaah kerta hai.....jo nahin kernae chaiyae.......aur namaz bhee padhta hai....
KYA HAM YEH MESSAGE DENA SHUROO KER DEIN KI NAMAZ PADHNA BAND KER DO KYOON KI TUM GUNAAH SAE DOOR NAHIN HO RAHE>>YA TUMHARI NAMAZ GUNAAH SAE TUMKO DOOR NAHIN KER RAHEE. IS Dajjal group ka yahee message azadari kae liyae hain..namaz main toh majboor ho gaye...hamla mustahab pae hee kereinge.....
Ab ager majalis , ziker e Ali9a.s) yaad wiladat aur wafaat ki kisee ko uskae gunaah sae door na ker pa rahee ho uskae nafs ki kamzoori ki wajah sae...ya na seekhne ki wajah sae ..toh kya isko band ker dein? Nahin yeh hai toh Ummeed hai ek din seekhega yeh insan karbala sae Amaal aur marefat hasil hogi.........
in logoon ka kaam hai is umeed ko khatem kerna aur shia qaum ko ek asisa andherae main daal dena ki aane walee nsael ko yeh toh yaad hoga ki quds pae israel ka qabza hai lekin Hazrath Ali kaun thae aur unka Amaal kya thae nahin maloom hoga aur aish hoga in gumrahh kerne waloon ka ...kyoon ki tarajoo toh hamarae Amaal ka inhee ahlulbayt ka amaal hai.....na ki in ibleees kae supporter ka....
NOW THINK WHO IS BREAKING THE BACKBONE OF SHIA COMMUITY AND MARJIYAT?
wassalam

11th Zee al-Qa'adah the Auspicious Birthday Anniversary of Imam Reza(A.S.)

11th Zee al-Qa'adah the Auspicious Birthday Anniversary of Imam Reza(A.S.)

Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (A.S.), the eighth Shi'ite Holy Imam was born on 11th Zee al-Qa'adah 148 A.H. in the holy city of Madinah.
He was divinely entitled 'Al-Reza"(meaning that Allah Almighty and His Holy Messenger (S.A.W.) were deeply pleased with him).The Holy Imam (A.S.) is also considered as the Aalim (the Greatest Erudite) of the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.).

Holy Imam was poisoned by Mamun, the Abbasid caliph in Sanabad in Toos region (Khurasan).The Holy Imam (A.S.) attained martyrdom on the last day of the month of Safar 203 A.H./ 818 A.D. and was buried in Sanabad.

After the burial of Imam Reza (A.S.) in this place, Sanabad soon transformed into a metropolis. The holy shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.) in the holy city of Mashhad is also one of the most extensively visited pilgrimage center in the world and annually more than 20 millions pilgrims and lovers of Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) from all parts of the world visit the holy shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.).

On the Happy and Auspicious Occasion of the Birthday Anniversary of Imam Reza (A.S.) we extend our Heartiest Felicitations and Happy Greetings to all the lovers of the Holy Ahlul Bayt(A.S.) in the world.

Divide and rule policy among followers of faiths

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei also said…The policy of divide and rule among followers of faiths and ethnic groups is a British policy and they are very expert in n pursuing that policy and they have taught the Americans how to sow the seeds of discord among muslims..

Hujjatul islam sayyid mohamad moosvi.
Question ……..
Question: Assalamun Alaykum Few days ago I did read the Sermons of Martyr Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari called ‘Ashura - Misrepresentations and Distortions. And I shocked that Hadhrat Qasim was not married in Karbala and other stories fabricated about the Karbala. So from where I can get authentic narrations/story of Karbala? Because in India and Pakistan these types of stories are very common in Majlisis. And tell me what our scholars are doing to prevent this? Because if whatever written in the sermons of Martyr Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari than these things are very big sins. I m confused now please immidiately guide me to authentic book or source about the Karbala
——————————————————————————–Answer: Assalamu alaikum wr wb,
Different opinions about hisorical events should not make us confused. Many historians say that Hadhrat Qasim got married in Karbala as it is recited in Majlises, so, we do not take one scholar’s statement for granted like Quran or Ma’sooms statements. Many books contain details of the tragedy of Karbala in cluding Bihar al Anwar by Majlisi, Maqtal Abi Makhnaf, Maqtal al-Khawarizmi, Al-Lohoof by Ibn Taawoos and many other books.
We should not make such matters (like the marriage of Hadhrat Qasim) as an issue causing dispute among Mo’mineen. We should focus on mourning the tragedy, getting its great aims and teaching ourselves and others the great lessons of self purification and justice. Even if one can prove that a certain incident did not happen in Karbala, we should always have the possibilty of other scholars reaching to a different result, so, we do not make it an issue of dispute, unless it carries an insult to our respected leaders and our high values of Islam.
Wassalamu alaikum wr wb Mohammad al-Musawihttp://www.themaliks.co.uk/wabil/asp/viewQuestion.asp?faq=2304
I hope people will understand whjat he said? and who are those who create doubts in minds of momineen and create dispute among us..
Also visit video lecture of Hujjatul islam sayyid mohamad moosvi. on the same issue…..
Azadari By Hujjatul islam sayyid mohamad moosvi
http://www.youtube.com/group/shiastrength

Was Abu Talib (as) a Kafir?

Was Abu Talib (as) a Kafir?

Hazrat Abu Talib (as) was the son of Hazrat Abdul-Muttalib (as); the father of Imam Ali (as) & the paternal uncle of the Holy Prophet (saww).


According to historians, his real name was ‘Imraan. Ayatullah Shaykh Ja’ffar Sub-hani in his book ‘The Message’ writes that: Sometimes it is said that the real name of Abu Talib was ‘Imraan. Some scholars are of the view that Abu Talib was his real name and not his kunniyyah.


WAS ABU TALIB (AS) A KAFIR?

One of the greatest accusations levelled against Abu Talib (as) by the non-Shia’h is that he died as a Kafir meaning as ‘a pagan’. They have based their opinion on this narration that:

[When Abu Talib was on his deathbed, the Holy Prophet (saww) went to him while Abu Jahl was sitting beside him. The Holy Prophet (saww) said to him:
“O Uncle! Say LAA ILAAHA ILLALLAH – an expression with which I will defend your case before Allah (SWT)”. Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Umayyah said, “O Abu Talib! Will you leave the religion of Abdul-Muttalib?” They kept saying this till Abu Talib’s last statement was, “I am on the religion of Abdul-Muttalib”. So the Holy Prophet (saww) said, “I will keep asking Allah for your forgiveness unless I am forbidden to do so”. Thereupon, verse 113 of Surah al-Tawbah was revealed, in which Allah (SWT) says, “It does not befit the Prophet and the believers to ask Allah’s forgiveness for the pagans, even if they were their near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of Hellfire”.]
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

The non-Shia’h Muslims also have this false narration recorded in their books that:

[Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib said to the Prophet, “You have not been of any benefit to your uncle Abu Talib (though) by Allah, he protected you and used to become angry for your sake”. The Holy Prophet (saww) said, “He is in shallow fire, and had it not been for me, he would have been in the bottom of Hellfire”. ]
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

PROOFS OF ABU TALIB’S IMAAN

There are many points – historical as well as logical – that prove that Abu Talib (as) was NOT a pagan. He was a Muslim and also died as a Muslim! The verse:
“It does not befit the Prophet and the believers to ask Allah’s forgiveness for the pagans, even if they were their near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of Hellfire”. (9:113)

This verse was not revealed for Abu Talib (as). How can this be established?

1. Hazrat Abu Talib (as) had passed away in Makkah before Hijrah whereas this verse is of Surah al-Tawbah and it was revealed in the 9th year of Hijrah. The long gap between the two shows that there is no connection between them.

2. Only one person has reported the narration, which states that this Ayah was revealed for Abu Talib, and that is Sa’eed bin Musayyab. This man is such that he cannot be relied upon. One account of his life in which Sa’eed himself has declared his affiliation to the worst people is:

[Imam Zaynul-‘Aabideen (as) had passed away. Sa’eed bin Musayyab happened to be alive and he also passed by the place where the funeral of Imam (as) was being attended. Sa’eed did not participate in Imam (as)’s funeral prayer. When people asked him in sarcasm, “Do you pray behind Hajjaj (the most evil and cruel ruler)?” Sa’eed boastfully replied, “We even pray behind worst people then Hajjaj”.] (Tafseer-e-Namoona)

Therefore, how can we rely on the authenticity of such a person?


3. Even if Abu Talib (as) said that, “I am on the religion of Abdul-Muttalib”, the question is whose religion was Abdul-Muttalib following?

There is no doubt that Abdul-Muttalib (as) followed the religion of Ibrahim (as) and the biggest testimony is the event of the elephants, which Abraha had brought to destroy the Ka’bah. Abdul-Muttalib (as) prayed to Allah (SWT) to protect the Holy Ka’bah from being destroyed and when he (as) confronted Abraha – he (as) simply asked him to release his livestock. Abraha was shocked. He said, “You are the chief of this tribe and I expected you to plead to me NOT to destroy the Ka’bah”. Abdul-Muttalib (as) said, “I am the owner of these animals and have therefore come to ask for them. As for the Ka’bah, its Master is there to protect it”. So if Abu Talib had said that he (as) followed the religion of
Abdul-Muttalib (as) – how can he (as) become a pagan?


4. Last but not least, the verse under discussion was NOT revealed for Abu Talib (as). According to narrations, some Muslims came to the Holy Prophet (saww) and said, “Why don’t you pray to Allah to forgive our fathers and forefathers who died during the days of paganism?” This verse was revealed and the Muslims were informed that they had no right to pray for the forgiveness of such pagans. (Majma’ al-Bayaan)


Abu Talib (as) was not an ordinary person in the history of Islam. He (as) rendered great sacrifices during his lifetime to protect the Holy Prophet (saww) and his mission. Ibn Abil-Hadeed, the Sunni Scholar and commentator of Nahjul-Balaghah writes: “If Abu Talib and his son Ali were not there, the religion of Islam would not have been successful. Abu Talib supported and protected the Holy Prophet (saww) in Makkah and his son Ali (as) dived in the whirlpools of death in Yathrib for him”. Hazrat Abu Talib (as) and
Sayyida Khadeeja (as) both passed away in the same year and it is a well known fact that the Holy Prophet (saww) declared that year as ‘Aamul-Huzn meaning ‘the year of grief’

THE MAGNIFICENT SERMON OF IMAM HUSAIN (A.S)

To understand the sermon of Imam Husain (a.s) and to unravel the secrets and mysteries hidden in it, to experience its excellence, to be influenced by it and then convey it in our own words is a task of mammoth proportions. Leave alone the lay man, even scholars, intellectuals and the litterateurs whose entire lives have been spent in teaching, reading and writing are powerless and ineffective in elucidating and interpreting certain portions of the sermon and writing its exegesis. This statement is not an exaggeration but it is an indisputable fact.
For instance, once Janabe Abdullah b. Jafar-e-Tayyar - the husband of Janabe Zainab (s.a) was with Imam Husain (a.s) at the time when he (a.s) had left Mecca. Along with Janabe Abdullah was Yahya b. Saeed - the brother of Umar b. Saeed. Janabe Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) was carrying along with him a letter from Umar b. Saeed that granted safety and protection to Imam Husain (a.s). Yazid had deposed Waleed b. Utbah and had made Umar b. Saeed as the governor of Madina. Janabe Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) was among those respected personalities who tried to dissuade Imam Husain (a.s) from undertaking the journey to Karbala. He even brought Yahya b. Saeed and the letter that granted asylum to Imam Husain (a.s) in Madina. To him Imam Husain (a.s) said ‘I saw my grandfather (s.a.w.s.) in my dream. Now it is impossible that I turn back. And I have not mentioned this dream to anyone else.’
Imam Husain (a.s) said
‘The one who responds to Allah’s and His Messenger’s (s.a.w.s.) invitation, performs good actions and complies with the laws of Islam has not opposed Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w.s.). He (Umar b. Saeed) sends a letter of amnesty and at the same time prepares the grounds for war! But know that the greatest security and shelter lies with Allah. And the one who does not fear Allah in his religion, then he will be deprived of Allah’s sanctuary on the Day of Resurrection. I beseech Allah that His fear remains in me in this world and He grants me refuge in the hereafter. If this letter of amnesty is really based on goodness and sincere intentions then he will get its reward in this world as well as the hereafter.’
Through this brief exhortation, the curtain is raised and some secrets are unfolded. The first is a subtle advice to Umar b. Saeed that the one who does not fear Allah in this world and revolts against the truth cannot expect His pardon in the hereafter. This disobedience will be unacceptable and would be unforgivable. Secondly, Imam (a.s.) was heeding the invitation of Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w.s.) and therefore a letter of amnesty from Umar b. Saeed does not have any significance. It also shows the character, greatness, magnanimity, courage and independence of Imam Husain (a.s).
But what about that dream? What plan does Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) have in his mind? As events progress, numerous advises and exhortations, as well as the highest forms of guidance, the method of enjoining goodness and prohibiting evil in a practical form, emerge from the sermons of Imam (a.s.). Over the years, Imam’s (a.s.) enlightening sermons have been minutely analysed and many pearls of wisdom have emanated from them. And this process continues till date.
The words and advises of Imam Husain (a.s) in the course of his journey from Medina to Mecca and then from Mecca to Karbala - till the time he attained martyrdom, were collected and compiled in a book. Only after intense reflection and deliberation on his enlightening sermons and speeches, did the deep and incisive secrets concealed in them and their universal effects were manifest to the people. Topics like Tauheed, Prophethood, Wilayat (Vicegerency), Qiyamat, Divine Justice (Adl), the proofs and evidences of the existence of God, the difference between the Divine existence and the existence of the creatures and then finally ‘meeting with the Lord’ have all been dealt with in his sermons. Topics that are so profound that even past prophets and messengers appear to be like divers in the sea of amazement and astonishment. These discussions open the doors of ‘True Recognition’ (marefat) of Allah. The greatness of Prophethood, the majesty of Imam, belief in the Day of Accounting, characteristics of the prophets and their successors - as if his sermons are a key to the entire aim and objective of Prophethood.
History is a witness that Imam Husain (a.s) had given so many speeches and sermons to the army of Yazid that finally they were compelled to say ‘O Husain! We have heard all that you have said. Now pick up your sword and start fighting’.
This shows that Imam Husain (a.s) put forth all his proofs and arguments and had ensured that his voice and message was heard by each and everyone. He did this so that no wrongdoer could advance the excuse of ‘ignorance’ on the Day of Judgement. Keeping in view the numerous sermons of Imam Husain (a.s) it is impossible to unveil all their secrets across a short treatise of a few pages. In fact it is difficult to throw light even upon a select few of his sermons. However, if the esteemed readers were to bestow their attention on the books that have been written on the speeches of Imam Husain (a.s) in the vernacular languages, if only to stimulate their interest, and try to comprehend their meanings and significance, then it is possible to make some progress. They will realise that the defense of twenty three years of propagation of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) began in the month of Rajab and it was secured on the day of Ashoora through his sermons. When the Shias acquire the maturity to understand the phrases that emanated from the blessed tongue of Imam Husain (a.s) and their hearts are stirred with an inclination to act upon them, then the advises of the Quran will become evident to them. The mind will then start accepting and comprehending the effects of the sayings of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). By reading and hearing about the attributes of our blessed Imams (a.s), the heart finds contentment and we can grasp that even while living in this world we should strive to adorn our hereafter. Writers have concentrated on four aspects in their efforts to unveil the secrets concealed within the speeches of Imam Husain (a.s).The four aspects are:
(a) One particular Quranic verse, the exegesis (tafseer) of which is from Umar b. Khattab.(b) The debate on the issue of allegiance, a controversy over which began right after the demise of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the advises of the people exhorting Imam Husain (a.s) not to go to Iraq.(c) Some crucial turn of events during the journey to Karbala.(d) Those illegitimate ones who were the fruits of the ‘Accursed Tree’. Obviously this short article cannot delve on all these topics in detail. But as the tradition says, “If you cannot take everything, then also don’t leave everything.’
1. The narration of the Holy Quran that is related to the event of Karbala and is a prelude to understanding the sermons of Imam Husain (a.s) is found in Surah Hajj, verse 78 . This verse throws light among other things, upon the personalities that appointed Yazid as the caliph and the successor of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). In reality, these personalities were the true architects of his evil reign. In this verse Allah exhorts:‘And strive hard in (the way of) Allah, (such) a striving a is due to Him.’ (Hajj : 78)
Over here, the struggle (Jehad) that Allah has emphasised refers to the Jehad of Imam Husain (a.s) and the opposing group against whom the battle will be waged is Mughairah (according to Baihakee ). The exegesis (tafseer) of this verse is that Ibn Mardiyah narrates from Abdur Rahman b. Awf that Umar b. Khattab told us, ‘Have you not read the Quranic verse in which Allah declares - ‘Just as you did jehad in the early days you should be prepared for jehad in the last days.’ I affirmed, ‘Certainly, I have read this verse. But which era is referred to by the phrase “last days”?’ To this Umar replied ‘The days when the Bani Umayyah will be rulers and the sons of Mughairah will be the ministers.’ Baihakee has also narrated this same incident. (Durre Mansoor, vol. 4 pg. 371, Cairo edition).
The sons of Mughairah were given ministerial portfolios during the reign of Yazid. Moaviyah was unhappy with Mughairah. But it was Mughairah b. Shoba who had suggested to Moaviyah that he should appoint Yazid as his successor. (Vali-e-Ahad). And in order to prove his (Mughaira) loyalty, he sent his son to Moaviyah - along with forty men - to give the oath of allegiance to Yazid as the ‘heir apparent’. After all of them had sworn allegiance to Yazid, Moaviyah took the son of Mughairah in one corner and asked him ‘In how much money did your father purchase their faith?’ Mughairah’s son said ‘In four hundred dinars’. To which Moaviyah replied ‘Even then it has turned cheap!’
The characters that are unveiled and identified in the entire episode are(a) Umar b. Khattab, (b) Abdur Rahman b. Awf (c) Mughairah, (d) the son of Mughairah, (e) Moaviyah, (f) Yazid, (g) those forty Kufans who swore allegiance to Yazid for four hundred dinars. The era of these individuals is seen in three paces - the rule of Umar, the reign of Moaviyah and the predictions leading to the reign of Yazid. It is the miracle of Quran that in one single verse, it has exposed the true character of these individuals who are sailing in the same boat and who were instrumental in the appointment of Yazid as a caliph. And standing against these characters is the group that represents the truth and who also embraced three eras and who were introduced by Imam Husain (a.s) most fittingly. It was nighttime when Walid b. Utbah announced the proclamation of Yazid. It was at the governor’s residence where Imam Husain (a.s) declared:
In this short address, Imam Husain (a.s) draws Walid b. Utbah’s attention to the following points:(a) “We are the people of the (last) messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.)” :The reason for saying this is that after a few days the despicable people would argue about the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.).The fifth member of the progeny of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) (i.e. Imam Husain (a.s)) has firmly presented irrevocable evidence in the annals of history and has shown that the attributes of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) are divine and heavenly. Infallibility and chastity are the prime requisites to conform to these characteristics and its proof would have to be brought from none other than Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself. It means that that not only are they exceptional but they are also unparalleled in their attributes and they strive hard in the way of Allah with a striving a is due to Him.
(b) “We are the treasures of the prophets knowledge” :We are well versed with divine secrets. We appear like you but are not like you. We are leaders and masters of (past) prophets and the successors. We are the ‘Path’ of Allah and the inheritors of the past prophets. We are the Proofs of Allah and we bestow the teachings of the Book and Wisdom. Just as our grandfather (s.a.w.s.) persevered in his mission of propagating Islam and just as he purified the ’self’ of the people by means of the verses of the Quran - awakening and shaking their intellect, intelligence and mentality - and at the same time was steadfast, we too are like him (s.a.w.s.). It is our responsibility to smash the majesty and power of the kings of Rome, Damascus and Arabia and replace them with divine splendour and grandeur. And even with a handful of followers we shall achieve our aim. Otherwise there would not be any distinction between the light of guidance and the darkness of deviation.
(c) “We are the place of descent of angels” :We are that place where angels are constantly arriving and departing. Our silence has given an opportunity to the plunderers of Islam to gather their strength. But it should not happen that at the time of their death they should have any regrets. Angels are our messengers. They constantly bring for us the news of the universe - in which corner of the earth, the weak and the oppressed are preparing for a confrontation. We are the people who can give a fitting reply to the hypocrites and the polytheists within the realm of religion. And we will give a suitable reply. Ibrahim (a.s.) shall declare that He (Imam Husain (a.s.)) is my son. Moosa (a.s) shall announce He is my inheritor. Isa (a.s) shall proclaim that He is my trustee. While the last messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) - the pride of all prophets shall declare proudly: ‘I am from Husain’.
(d) “We are the place of descent of mercy” :I am the son of that Prophet (s.a.w.s.) who was a mercy for the worlds. I am the centre of mercy. At the time when the accused Shimr was about to behead Imam Husain (a.s) at the time of Asr on the day of Ashoora, he saw that the lips of Imam Husain (a.s) moving. He thought that probably Imam Husain (a.s) was cursing him. He bent forward to hear what Imam Husain (a.s) was murmuring. He heard Imam Husain (a.s) saying, ‘O my Lord! The nation of my grandfather (s.a.w.s.) is ignorant of my great status. Please forgive them.’ This can only be expected from the grandson of that prophet who was a source of compassion for both the worlds. On his way to Karbala when Imam (a.s) met Abdullah b. Jaufi, he (a.s) advised him, ‘You go very far away from here so that my cries for help (on the Day of Ashoora) do not fall upon your ears. Otherwise you will be destroyed.’ (This is just a small glimpse of his benevolence)
(e) “The religion of Islam was initiated through us” :And we are the ones who will put the seal of finalisation upon it. If only man - who is endowed with wisdom and who discerns everything - were to fulfill the demands of his robust intellect! He should have asked, ‘O son of the prophet! How is it possible that you will put the final seal on the history of Islam. The phrase (ARABIC) is actually pointing towards the ‘Glorious Kingdom’, the ‘Divine Rule’ - the reign for which the entire universe is awaiting and he is the one who will take revenge.
In this way, in a few words, Imam Husain (a.s) has expressed the status of Imamat - a position that is only obtained by divine appointment. - and has elucidated the spirit and purport behind its context and meaning. He did all this in order to complete his arguments and make the people aware of the secrets of the status of Imamat. He did this so that no one would have any excuse on the Day of Accounting. Not only this, but Imam Husain (a.s) has pulled down the facade of power and leadership from the face of Yazid and exposed his true colours. Imam Husain (a.s) said, ‘Yazid is a drunkard. He boldly kills those people whose killing is prohibited. He is openly involved in all sorts of indecencies and obscenities.’ And when he (a.s) demanded from the officials of Yazid, ‘Tell me, how can a person like me give allegiance to a person like him? Be patient and wait till morning. The truth shall be apparent in broad daylight.’ And when Marwan b. Hakam, who was the fiercest enemy of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) advised Walid to kill Imam Husain (a.s), he (a.s) told him sternly, ‘O son of a degraded woman! You shall be the one who will kill me.’
The reign of Yazid - the caliph of the Muslim nation - encompassed the entire Arabian Peninsula. It is that evil era when the corruptions of Damascus have cast their shadows on the Islamic Empire. After describing the malicious character of Yazid and his immoral personality, the persona of Imam Husain (a.s) and his infallible character are as dazzling as the first rays of the rising sun. These phrases (that Imam Husain (a.s) addressed to Marwan) highlight the courage of Imam Husain (a.s) and through them the universal strength of falsehood is raised to dust. The arrows are an indication of the onslaught of war - a war as it ought to be waged. A war of patience, a crusade of steadfastness, a battle against the self and a war against relations.
Imam Husain (a.s) said ‘A person like me will never swear allegiance to a person like him’ . This meant that if the heir to Hazrat Adam (a.s.), Hazrat Nuh (a.s.), Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.), Hazrat Moosa (a.s.) and the grandson of the last Prophet (s.a.w.s.) were to sell himself to Yazid, an illiterate and a drunkard and the most tyrannical of all creatures, there would be no difference left between (ARABIC) (those who have been bestowed with Allah bounties) and (ARABIC) (those upon whom there is the wrath of Allah). Consequently, not only mankind would be devoid of the noble values and morals as propounded by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) but there would also remain no sign of divine justice (Adl), belief in the unseen and the Hereafter. Everything would have been lost in the darkness of the disastrous deeds of the progeny of Abu Sufyan. It was a taunt of Imam Husain (a.s) when he said, “Wait until morning. Everything shall be clear.’
O from what an infinite personality did Yazid decide to obtain an allegiance! (No doubt, the only Infinite Being is Allah. Over here we mean that the personality and character of Imam Husain (a.s) is beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals). In this way Imam Husain (a.s) has mentioned the string of allegiances that were purchased from time to time - right from Saqifah till the last allegiance that was purchased for a mere ten dinars (about which we have discussed earlier). All these acts will humiliate the people till the Day of Judgement. Here we would like to mention yet another shameful and disgraceful event of history that is connected to this allegiance (that Yazid sought from Imam Husain (a.s)) and it is related to that very era. The son of the leader of mankind was already determined not to give allegiance to Yazid. But Abdullah b. Umar b. Khattab did give his allegiance to a disgraceful creature. After Yazid, he kissed the feet of Hajjaj b. Yusuf and offered his allegiance to him. And this incident is recorded in the pages of history. After Yazid, Abdul Malik b. Marwan became the caliph and he appointed Hajjaj b. Yusuf as the governor of Madina. Abdullah b. Umar went to visit Hajjaj b. Yusuf in the middle of the night and told him, ‘Please advance your hand so that I may swear allegiance to the caliph of the time (i.e. Abdul Malik b. Marwan)’ Hajjaj b. Yusuf asked him, ‘What is the haste? Why don’t you wait till the morning?’ At this Abdullah b. Umar replied, ‘I have heard the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) say ‘One who dies without paying allegiance to the ruler of his time, dies a death of ignorance’. Immediately, Hajjaj b. Yusuf asked him, ‘Then why did you flee from paying allegiance to Ali when he was the caliph?’ After saying this, he removed his foot from below the quilt and asked Abdullah b. Umar to kiss it, saying that he was fit only for this kind of an allegiance. And Abdullah b. Umar did that. (Sharh-e-Nahjil Balagha by Ibn Abil Hadeed) . And the irony is that Ahmed b. Hanbal (one of the greatest Ahle Sunnah scholars) has narrated 1,700 traditions from Abdullah b. Umar while he has recorded only 22 traditions from Imam Hasan (a.s) and Imam Husain (a.s) - yes only 22 traditions. (Sukhnan-e-Husain b. Ali (a.s.))
Abdullah b. Umar had gone to Mecca for performing Umrah and on his way to Medina, he met Imam Husain (a.s). He cautioned Imam Husain (a.s) about the evil plans and tactics of Yazid and his cronies in order to arrest and assassinate him (a.s). At this Imam Husain (a.s) said:
“O Abu Abdur Rahman! Don’t you know how offensive and wretched is this world that even a great prophet like Janabe Yahya b. Zakariya (a.s.) was not spared. The people beheaded him and his head was gifted to a singing girl who was also a prostitute and a woman of immoral character. The Bani Israel would commence their day only after they had slaughtered 70 prophets. But when “the greatest of avengers” (i.e. Allah) decided that it was enough, He involved them in terrible calamities…” After this Imam Husain (a.s) said “O Abu Abdur Rahman! Fear Allah and do not turn away from my assistance.”
Two important points emerge from this short sermon. The first one is that this world is so depraved that even a great prophet like Janabe Yahya (a.s) was beheaded and his head was presented to a singing girl. And Imam Husain (a.s) has referred to Janabe Yahya b. Zakariya (a.s.) a number of times during his journey. This shows that he was aware of his fate. Because there is a striking similarity between the martyrdom of Janabe Yahya b. Zakariya (a.s.).and his own martyrdom. And nor were the Syrians and Kufans living during the time of Imam Husain (a.s) any less oppressive than the Bani Israel. Thus Imam Husain (a.s) was commencing the journey (from Medina to Karbala) conscious of the consequences of his each and every step. (All this shows that Imams (a.s.) have the knowledge of the unseen and are cognizant of the future course of events. This (information) they receive either through divine inspiration or through the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). Yet this does not mean that the Imams (a.s.) act according to their foreknowledge. They live and behave like ordinary humans)
The second point is that it was imperative to expose the character of Abdullah b. Umar. History has given undue importance to this personality. It is surprising that Ahmed b. Hanbal had the audacity to narrate 1,700 traditions from him. According to Sahih-e-Bukhari (Kitab-ul-Fetan) , Abdullah b. Umar had sworn allegiance to Yazid. (Sukhnan-e-Imam Husain (a.s), pg 69 Mohammed Sadiq Najmi).
This same Abdullah b. Umar - at the time of departing from Mecca - arrived in the presence of Imam Husain (a.s) and requested Imam Husain (a.s) to allow him to kiss that very spot where Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to kiss him. Imam Husain (a.s) lifted his cloak and Abdullah b. Umar kissed his chest thrice. And at the time of leaving Mecca, Abdullah b. Umar mentioned to Imam Husain (a.s) that soon he (a.s) would be martyred. Over here, the question that arises is that is it possible that Imam Husain (a.s) would be unaware of his own martyrdom while strangers were conscious of this fact. The “knowledge of the unseen” that Imam Husain (a.s) possessed is a completely different matter. What is evident over here is that even the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) - at every stage of the twenty three years of his propagation, had prophesied the causes and the reasons that would lead to the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s). The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) described Imam’s (a.s) distinguished personality, the apostasy that would be prevalent in his nation, those who would oppose the Ahle Bait (a.s.) and would be their staunchest enemies, the rulers who would rule the Muslim empire and who would be more tyrannical than Firaun, the personalities of Bani Umayyah, the journey of Imam Husain (a.s) etc. Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) had prophesied each and everything. In the end, Imam Husain (a.s) fulfilled the responsibility of Imamat and advised Abdullah, ‘O Abdullah! Fear Allah and do not turn away from your duty of helping me.’ But Abdullah b. Umar, with tears in his eyes, turned his back and returned to Medina. In today’s world there are numerous Abdullahs who are sympathetic and sorrowful for Imam Husain (a.s). But to be included with Imam (a.s.) on the Day of Judgement and to be counted among his friends and helpers requires that one be prepared to sacrifice not only one’s life and wealth but also all those things that we cherish and hold dear. And this is not an easy task.
Thus various people like Abdullah b. Umar, Abdullah b. Jafar (r.a), Umar-e-Itraf (he was a brother of Imam Husain (a.s)), Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah - all of them tried to dissuade Imam Husain (a.s) from undertaking the journey from Mecca to Iraq, but Imam Husain (a.s) was resolute in his intention. The sermon worth mentioning is the one that he (a.s) delivered to Janabe Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah at the time he was about to leave Mecca. At that time, Janabe Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah was very ill. Yet he arrived in the presence of Imam Husain (a.s) and said, ‘O my beloved brother! You are well aware that the people of Kufa are notorious for violating their pledges. You also know how the Iraqis had behaved with your father. It is better that you stay back in Mecca.’ To this Imam Husain (a.s) replied, ‘If I am martyred in the precincts of Kabaa then it would lower the prestige and the sanctity of this venerable place.’ Janabe Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah then advised Imam Husain (a.s) to go to Yemen where he would remain safe. Imam Husain (a.s) replied, ‘I will think about it’. This discussion between both of them had taken place in the night. Yet when morning arrived, Imam Husain (a.s) began preparing to leave for Iraq. When Janabe Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah reminded him that he would consider going to Yemen, Imam Husain (a.s) said, ‘O my brother! Last night I saw Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in my dream and he said:
“O Husain, get ready and start moving. Allah wants to see you martyred.’
On, hearing this Janabe Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah recited:
‘Surely we are from Allah and to Him shall we return.’
Then he continued, ‘But is it advisable to take the women and the children along with you when you know that the circumstances are very sensitive and fraught with danger?’ At this Imam Husain (a.s) replied. ‘Allah wants to see them in bondage too.’ ( Sukhnan-e-Imam Husain (a.s) )
In this sermon, Imam Husain (a.s) has discussed those factors that led to his journey to Iraq. Firstly, the vision he had of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in his dream. Secondly it was Allah’s wish that that he should be martyred and thirdly it was once again Allah’s wish that his children and the ladies of the family should be imprisoned and held in bondage. Imam Husain (a.s) has given similar relies to Janabe Umme Salmah, Janabe Zainab (s.a) and to Janabe Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah. Those who possess only superficial knowledge of religion and are not well versed with it, draw some baseless conclusions after hearing this reply. They claim that Imam Husain (a.s) was forced to undertake the journey to Iraq and his ‘free-will’ was suppressed by Allah. Unfortunately, this is a school of thought that not only comprises of laymen but also includes scholars and intellectuals. These people say
‘Surely Allah desired that He should see Imam Husain (a.s) martyred.’
Then they continue, ‘Hence the account of this particular event of Karbala is distinct from other events of the world. Because this martyrdom and imprisonment is beyond the scope of any individual - however great he might be. Leave alone humans, even angel have a feeling of regret on being deprived of this momentous opportunity.
In view of what these scholars and intellectuals claim, three pertinent points arise:The first is that the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s) has no significance and value (since it was forced upon him and was not a voluntary act). The second is that the one who performs jehad by his free will is superior (to the one who is compelled to do jehad). And the third point is that the armies of Ibn Ziyad and Yazid are absolved of their offense of murdering Imam Husain (a.s) because they were forced to commit this heinous crime. Our reply to all these points and to all those who propound such views is very simple. Those who are familiar with the profound concepts of ‘Masheeyat’, ‘Iradah’ and ‘Destiny’ (Qadr) will understand the reply of Imam Husain (a.s), which these intellectuals have failed to comprehend and have reached the conclusion that martyrdom was forced upon Imam (a.s.). These people have interpreted Imam’s (a.s.) words in another light. While, on the contrary, these words and phrases highlight the excellence of Imam Husain (a.s).
All the laws and rules of the exalted religion of Islam bear testimony to the fact that Allah expects each and every of His servant to observe them in toto. He expects all His servants without exception to fulfill their obligatory and recommended acts and at the same time refrain from the prohibited and the undesirable acts. He wants to see that every Muslim is subservient to His commands. However the reality is that when it comes to acting upon these laws, then we give preference to our likes and dislikes and disregard the wishes of Allah. Ultimately we act according to our own wishes. Sometimes our desire overpowers us, while at other times, it is our position and status in society that compels us to act according to our cravings. At times, it is our family, environment and wealth that is responsible for our actions. Hence quite a few factors act as an obstacle in the path of complete subservience to Allah’s commands.
But many a times it does happen that we obey the divine commands even though it is a cause of hardship for us. We fast in summer and forsake food and water. Our throats may be parched, yet we don’t even look at water. By doing this we act according to the command of Allah. Allah loves to see us thirsty in the condition of fasting. All these acts we perform out of our own free will and have never felt that someone is compelling us to do them. The desire of Allah does not seize our free will. We act on the laws of Islam on the basis of our free will and intention. It is precisely due to this that we are either praised or condemned for our actions.
Imam Husain (a.s) had heard his grandfather (s.a.w.s.) say in his dream that Allah desires to see you martyred and your family imprisoned. The love of Allah was so firmly rooted in Imam’s (a.s.) entire existence that he was willing to do anything for the happiness of Allah. And nothing could break his determination. Imam Husain (a.s) did not desire martyrdom out of compulsion. But he wanted to attain martyrdom for the satisfaction and contentment of Allah.
Imam Husain (a.s) is the pride of Hazrat Ismail (a.s). Hazrat Ismail (a.s) interpreted the dream of his father (Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s)) as a command from Allah and was willing to be sacrificed for Allah’s pleasure. Then how is it that Imam Husain (a.s) would not interpret the words of his grandfather (s.a.w.s.) as a command from Allah? He (a.s) was willing to have himself sacrificed and have his family and children imprisoned. And this act is matchless in the annals of history. If the sacrifice of Hazrat Ismail (a.s) is a reason for greatness and an example of free will then the sacrifice of Imam Husain (a.s) too is an example of free will and infinite greatness.
The explanation for all this is that ‘Mashiyyat’, ‘Iradah’, ‘Qadr and ‘Qaza’ have different interpretations in “Aalam-e-Takween” (The world of creation) and in “Aalam-e-Tashreei” (The world of actions). “Aalam-e-Takween is related to involuntary acts - the acts in which man has no say and in which Allah’s command is final and will materialize. Birth, death, creation of the heavens and the earth etc are all examples from the world of creation. On the other hand “Aalam-e-Tashreei” refers to that desire of Allah in which He loves to see His creature acting upon the laws of Islam and that too for their own benefit. He loves to see His servants act upon all those things that He has ordered and refrain from all those things that He has prohibited. Hence Allah has given full freedom to man to perform an action or to leave it. As He says in the Holy Quran
‘Surely Allah enjoins the doing of justice and doing good to others and giving (of the dues) to the near ones. And He forbids indecency and rebellion. He cautions you so that you may be mindful.’ (Nahl: 90)
As we see, Allah is inviting the servants towards His commands and prohibitions through advice and counsel means precisely this and nothing else. And these were exactly the circumstances before Imam Husain (a.s). And for the sake of the command of Allah, he is firm and steadfast in his endeavour. (i. e. jehad was inevitable and an obligation for him). As he had said earlier, the reign of Yazid is equivalent to performing the last rites of the religion of Islam. The only alternative was for the friends and helpers of Bani Hashim and the family members to lay down their lives in order to give a new lease of life to Islam. This is the underlying meaning of the phrase
‘Surely Allah wishes that He sees me killed and my family members are imprisoned.’
Coming to the third question that “What is the significance of that martyrdom which has already been predicted in the past?” The reply to this question is that no doubt Allah was well aware that Imam Husain (a.s) would remain steadfast on the divine command - a command whose greatness and excellence is beyond the realm of human intellect. Allah knew that Imam Husain (a.s.) would never disobey Him and would willingly sacrifice all that he possessed - his wealth as well as his family. And knowing this Allah informed His last Messenger (a.s.) about the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s). But this news that Allah gave to His Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is in no way the cause of the occurrence of the events of Karbala. Nor can it be said that this divine pre-knowledge usurped the free will of Imam Husain (a.s) and compelled him to attain martyrdom. An example will clearly illustrate this point. Suppose a person performs an obligatory act of faith out of his free will. And suppose Allah informs His prophet about it. Does this information in any way affect the freedom and liberty of that person? The answer is obviously ‘no’. The conclusion is that this martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s) is a great and illustrious event. As days turned into months and months changed into years, history has recorded this event in its pages. The light that emanated from his sermons and which spread across the horizon dazzled the enemies and opponents of Imam Husain (a.s). Allah has spoken of these sermons in the farthest corners of the universe when He says:
‘And this happened when You had taken a covenant from them that they would adopt perseverance inspite of living in this world and seeing its splendour and adornment. Consequently they adopted this covenant and You were aware of their loyalty and firmness. Hence You welcomed them near You and made them familiar with Your proximity. Till such an extent that You found them distinguished and You selected them for lofty praise.’ (Dua-e-Nudbah)
Dear readers, this is one aspect from the secrets of Imam Husain’s (a.s) sermon. And these pearls become evident only because all sorts of people - acquaintances as well as strangers - met him during his journey and advised him not to go towards Kufa. Imam Husain (a.s) replied to all of them and especially tried to divert their attention towards Allah. Sometimes he narrated the dream in which he saw Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) while at other times he invited the people towards Allah as he was bestowed with the status of Imamat. When Imam Husain (a.s) reached the place known as ‘Khazeemah’ then while consoling his sister Janabe Zainab (s.a) he said
‘O my sister! Whatever has been decreed will happen.’ (Here too, the word ‘decree’ is used in the meaning of ‘command of Allah’. We have discussed this point earlier.) Moving forward in his journey, Imam Husain (a.s) reached “Roor” and then to a place called “Sa’lebeeyah” It was over there that Imam Husain (a.s) came to know about the martyrdom of Janabe Muslim (a.s.), Janabe Haani (r.a.) and Abdullah Yaqtar (r.a.). On hearing about their martydom, he (a.s) declared:
‘There is no goodness in this life after all this (news).’ This implied that such an environment had been created that no one was able to live a life of freedom and liberty. Even before his martyrdom the sermons of Imam Husain (a.s) created a revolution in that gloomy and ignorant society. He dispelled the feeling of hopelessness and despair from among his companions when he announced
(a) ‘Being martyred in the way of Allah is a cause of distinction for a man.’(b)’I am advancing towards death. A death, which is not shameful for a man.’(c) ‘Alas! We are carrying the burden of humiliation.’(d) ‘We will neither submit to them in humiliation nor will we run away from them like slaves.’
Such sermons and exhortations continued and finally the eve of Ashoora arrived. After completing his prayers, Imam Husain (a.s) addressed his companions in which he said:
‘Know that the hour of martyrdom is drawing near. I withdraw my allegiance from you. You are now free and can go back to your respective cities.’ But when the lamp was lighted again, each and every companion was standing in his place. And each one of them gave a short speech in which they stressed and emphasised their love and attachment to Imam Husain (a.s). Thus when Imam Husain (a.s) had tested all his companions and found them trustworthy, he removed from their eyes the curtains of the world and revealed to each one of them their abode in Paradise. These were the secrets of the sermon of Imam Husain (a.s) that he delivered in the night of Ashoora. ( Sukhnane Imam Husain (a.s) )
In the end we would like to conclude this article with a sermon of Imam Husain (a.s), which is not only embellished with radiant words but is also profound in its concepts. And we pray to Allah that the love of Imam Husain (a.s.) remains firmly entrenched in our hearts till our last breath.
‘O son of the noble one! Be patient and forbearing. Death is nothing but a moment in which you leave behind difficulties and afflictions and enter into the valley of Paradise where there are eternal bounties. Who does not want to be freed from a prison and live in the comforts of a palace? But the death of your enemies is like the one who steps out from a large edifice and enters a prison. My father (a.s.) has narrated to me a tradition from my grandfather (s.a.w.s.) in which he (s.a.w.s.) informed - The world is like a prison for a believer while it is like a Paradise for an unbeliever. Death is that instant which transfers a believer from his prison into Paradise while for an unbeliever it sends him to Hell. I was neither lied to nor have I lied.

Azadari Movement in Lucknow

Lucknow is known as a seat of Shiasm and the epitome of Shia culture. Muharram which is observed in Lucknow is famous worldwide. The processions of Muharram in Lucknow have a special significance. They were started during the reign of the Awadh Nawabs. The Majalises, processions and other rituals that are observed by the Shia community to commemorate the sacrifice of Imam Husain A.S. are known as Azadari.
The processions like Shahi Zarih, Jaloos-e-Mehndi, Alam-e-Ashura and that of Chup Tazia have special significance for Shia community, which are taken out with great religious zeal and fervour. These processions which started during the reign of the Awadh Nawabs continued till the year 1977.Processions Banned The first problem regarding Azadari started in the year 1906. Communal riots took place in the years 1968, 1969, 1974 and 1977. The Government of Uttar Pradesh banned the Azadari processions in the year 1977. The Shia community from time to time has been constantly protesting against the ban imposed on Azadari. Many memoranda were sent to the Government regarding the ban but to no avail. The system of courting arrest was also started later by the late Maulana Syed Kalbe Abid in which thousands of Shias courted arrest on the 10th of Muharram every year, at the Imambara Asifi in the protest of this ban. Self Immolation On the 10th of April 1997 under the banner of “Karvane Furat” the Shias sat on a hunger strike to press their demands and attract the attention of the Government but the effort was in vain. Having been irked by the attitude of the Government and seeing that no other option was left for the community, three Shia youth committed self immolation on 13th of April 1997 at Dargah Hazrat Abbas (A.S.), Mohd. Abbas (24 years), Yusuf (38 years) committed self- immolation. They breathed their last on 16th April 1997 in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. On April 16th another Shia youth, Ishrat Altaf, committed self immolation and passed away. Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad Arrested Noted Shia religious scholar of India Maulana Dr. Syed Kalbe Sadiq called on the community to observe a Peace March on the 18th of April, 1997. A march was scheduled from Imambara Asifi to Imambara Husainabad in which more than two hundred thousand Shias along with other Ulama participated. Imam Bukhari of Shahi Jami Masjid in Delhi showed his interest in negotiating the vexed Azadari issue and was expected to arrive in Lucknow on the 31st May 1997. On 3rd June he was arrested on the outskirts of the city. Along with him noted Shia Ulama, the Imam-e-Juma of Masjid Asafi, Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad and Sunni Ulama late Maulana Qamar Minai were arrested for organising a meeting and defying Section 144 I.P.C. On hearing of their leader’s arrest, the Shias stormed the Vidhan Sabha(the provincial assembly of Uttar Pradesh state) and performed Matam. The Government Uttar Pradesh seeing the situation going out of hand was forced to release the leaders without further delay. Shia’s Decisive Battle Police mercilessly beat Shias including women and children on 8th June 1997 in Muftiganj in the Alam procession. Upon knowing of this incident Maulana Kalbe Jawad called an emergency meeting of about 115 Shia Anjumans(associations) of the city. At the meeting it was unanimously decided that if the government did not lift the ban on Azadari by 24th june 1997 (18th Safar) the Shias would defy the ban and take out the Alam procession on the 26th of June 1997. The Administration and the government did nothing they imposed a curfew in the city on the night of 26th June 1997. The Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati issued a strict warning to the Shia community that any attempt to take out Alam procession would force the government to deal strongly with them.The police sealed all the Shia dominated localities but ultimately Shia’s defied the curfew.The Government to save itself from an embarrassment transferred the then District Magistrate of Lucknow and issued the order for the arrest of Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad under National Security Act (NSA).The Administration on the 28th of June 1997 at 4:00 a.m. arrested Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad. He was sent to Lalitpur Jail while his family was incarcerated with the prisoners of TADA. News spread like wildfire in the city and the people again break the curfew. The police mercilessly beat them up. Shia women stormed District Magistrate residence and protested there. Shia youth performed matam at the Vidhan Sabha.People from other parts of the country also started lending their support to the Azadari Movement. There were also various protests and agitations reported from the different parts of the country against the arrest of Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad. Indian Shias residing in New York, Syria, Pakistan, Iran and other countries also protested against the Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad’s arrest.The situation went out of control and the Government was left with no other option but to release Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad. Finally he was released on the 8th of July, 1997. Ban Lifted The Government assured the Shias that the Azadari procession problem would be looked into and solved in three months time and asked for all agitations and protest to be postponed till then.The Shias did so. Upon the expiry of the period of 3 months the matter was not solved and Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad decided again to defy the ban on Azadari on 27th of September. The Administration, finally held rounds of talks between Shias and Sunnis. The Shias were successful in taking out the first Azadari procession in January 1998 (21 Ramzan) with the permission of the Government. Today the Shias have been given nine processions out of nine hundred that are registered in the festival register of the Shias.

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