English
Thursday 28th of March 2024
0
نفر 0

Ahl-ul-Bayt and Ashura

Ahl-ul-Bayt and Ashura

The Ma'soom Imams alayhum-as-salam annually held Azadari or

mourning programs commemorating the day of Ashura, and in fact the

Imams of the Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-as-salam encouraged others to

continue to hold such programs to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam

Husayn alayhis-salam in various forms and styles of remembrance be it

those which are obligatory, or those that are Mustahab or permissible, for

this day is like no other day. There has been many hadith from them in

this respect; in one narration Imam Sadiq alayhis-salam is asked as to why

the day of Ashura became the day of sorrow and grief, lamentation and

weeping, rather than the day when Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih

died, or the day when Fatima-al-Zahra alayhas-salam died, or the day

when Amir-ul-Mu'minin36 alayhis-salam was killed, or when Imam Hasan

alayhis-salam was killed by poisoning? Imam Sadiq alayhis-salam

replied, “Truly the day of al-Husayn is the day of the greatest catastrophe,

since As-hab al-Kissa (people of the cloak) alayhum-as-salam who were

the most honourable of creation in the sight of Allah were five, and when

Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih died, Imam Ali, Fatima al-Zahra,

Hasan and Husayn alayhum-as-salam remained, and the people sought

solace and comfort in them, and when Fatima al-Zahra alayhas-salam

died, people sought consolation and comfort in Amir-ul-Mu'minin, Hasan

and Husayn alayhum-as-salam, and when Amir-ul-Mu'minin alayhissalam

died people sought solace and comfort in Hasan and Husayn

alayhum-as-salam, and when Hasan alayhis-salam died people could find

36 Amir-ul-Mu’minin, meaning the Commander of the Faithful, is the title that was

exclusively awarded to Imam Ali alayhis-salam by Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih.

Thus Imam is usually referred to as Amir-ul-Mu’minin.

Husayn – The sacrifice for mankind

28

comfort in Imam Husayn alayhis-salam, but when Imam Husayn alayhissalam

was killed, there remained no other member of As-hab al-Kissa to

seek solace and comfort in, and by the killing of the last of them all access

to As-hab al-Kissa was severed, whereas so long as there was even one of

them amongst the people, it was as if all of them were amongst the people.

That is why the day of Husayn alayhis-salam is the most calamitous of all

days.”

Thus great rewards have been reported for establishing and upholding

these Husayni Sha'a'er. Imam Baqir alayhis-salam stated, "Imam Zayn al-

Abidin used to say, "Any believer who weeps for Imam Husayn alayhissalam

and his tragedy such that his tears run down his cheek, Allah

Almighty shall accommodate him in Paradise, and any believer who wept

for us for what we suffered at the hands of our enemy in this world such

that his tears run down his cheeks Allah shall accommodate him in a lofty

station, and any believer who suffers hardship in our cause, such that he

weeps for us and his tears run down his cheek, Allah Almighty shall repel

from his face any anguish and protects him from fire on the day of

Judgement".

And thus tyrants and despots throughout history tried to stop these sacred

ceremonies and Husayni Sha‘a’er, as is the case of the (Ba‘thist) regime in

Iraq. The regime first began by banning the mourning ceremonies in the

capital city – Baghdad – and it then extended this ban to all other cities of

Iraq. It then went on to ban the people Basra and other cities from coming

to Karbala on religious occasions such as on Ashura and on the day of

Arba‘een.

The Ba‘thist regime then gained enough courage and confidence to

arbitrary arrest the Ulema, scholars, and public speakers of the Husayni

Sha‘a’er, and subject them to brutal torture, before executing great many

of them. All of this is in aid of suppressing and killing the spirit and the

will of the Ummah, which emanate from the religious and Husayni

Sha‘a’er.

This was a quick insight in the role of Sayyid-al-Shuhada alayhis-salam in

protecting Islam, and a glimpse of his station in the sight of Allah

Almighty, and lofty station and the eminence of the Imam in this world

and in the hereafter, and how can it not be when he addresses Allah

Almighty saying:

I have left the entire world for the sake of You

and I have orphaned my children so that I see You

A glimpse from the ray of Imam Husayn

29

So if I am cut into pieces for the love of You

my heart would lean to none other than You

And these words reflect the extent of the sincerity of Imam Husayn

alayhis-salam in his love for Allah, and his honesty in defending Islam.

Husayn – The sacrifice for mankind

30

Chapter 4: Upholding the Husayni Sha‘a’er

Introduction

Allah Almighty says in His Glorious Book:

{On that account, We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone

slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the

land - it would be as if he slew the whole people, and if any one saved a

life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.}37

In some of the Tafsir (exegesis) it is stated that one of the meanings of

“saving life” of the above noble verse is “leaving and exiting the darkness

of aberration to the Light of being guided”, as the Almighty states,

{Can he who was dead, to whom We gave life, and a Light whereby he can

walk amongst men, be like him who is in the depths of darkness, from

which he can never come out? Thus to those without Faith their own deeds

seem pleasing.}38

So this noble verse considers he who is distant from faith – iman – to be

distant from the light or the knowledge with which one lives amongst the

people. Therefore the Light that is in fact knowledge or faith as presented

in this noble verse is one of the meanings of “giving life”.

This kind of giving life has many manifestations; one would be for

individuals who are alive, i.e. to endeavour to guide someone to the right

path. In Another case this “giving life” would be for individuals who are

dead; for example in a meeting one might highlight the virtues and the

good qualities of a mu’min – a believer – who is dead, this act would also

be considered “giving life” to the individual concerned. The gatherings

that are arranged on the occasions of the birthday or the death of the

Imams alayhum-as-salam are also considered a manifestation of “giving

life” to those occasions and to their respective owners. This “giving life”

is no doubt considered as the Sha’a’er that Allah Almighty refers to in His

Glorious Book:

37 The Holy Qur’an, [5:22]

38 The Holy Qur’an, [6:122]

Upholding the Husayni Sha‘a’er

31

{And whoever holds in honour the Sha‘a’er – Symbols – of Allah, for they

truly reflect the piety of the heart.}39

In fact upholding and “giving life” to the Islamic occasions is one of the

Sha’a’er that Islam calls for. So when highlighting the virtues of a

believer means keeping his memory alive, it is far more significant when

we attempt to keep alive the memory of Rasulollah and his Ahl-ul-Bayt

alayhum-as-salam. And this is clearly noticed in the tale reported in the

holy Qur’an when Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) alayhis-salam said,

{Grant me honourable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest

generations}40.

This means that “O Lord I ask to make the people after me remember me

and keep my memory alive – “giving life to me” – so that my teachings

and religion remain alive amongst the people – which are Tawheed and the

law of Allah – and at the end of the day the religion that you revealed to

me shall be the cause for the guidance of the people.”

Benefits of the Husayni programs

In the same way the mourning programs have great importance and they

may not be ignored, and the Husayni Sha’a’er have a significant role in

revitalising the nations and no one can deny this fact. So too are the

Qur’an recitation sessions, as the words of the Qur’an resonate in the

hearts of the believers and occupy their entire existence such that the

Qur’an verses become their aims and objectives. For the Qur’an rejects

tyranny and oppression, or transgressing upon others’ rights or suppressing

their freedoms or sending them on exile. Allah Almighty states in His

Glorious Book,

{Those who do not judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they

are the transgressors.}41

{And do not transgress for Allah does not like the transgressors}42

{Take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and

law.}43

39 The Holy Qur’an, [22:32]

40 The Holy Qur’an, [27: 84]

41 The Holy Qur’an, [5: 47]

42 The Holy Qur’an, [2: 190]

Husayn – The sacrifice for mankind

32

{Do the Unbelievers think that they can take My servants as protectors

besides Me? Verily We have prepared Hell for the Unbelievers for (their)

entertainment.}44

When the Muslims read such verses from the Qur’an, Allah opens their

hearts and they realise that the reality (of their society and of their country

and circumstances) is contrary to what the Qur’an calls for. It is for such

reasons that the tyrants endeavour to prevent the Husayni programs, since

these programs expose the criminals and reveal the truth to the people. I

shall mention an account from history in this respect and then come back

to our discussion.

0
0% (نفر 0)
 
نظر شما در مورد این مطلب ؟
 
امتیاز شما به این مطلب ؟
اشتراک گذاری در شبکه های اجتماعی:

latest article

Short Maxims of Imam al-Jawad(A.S.)
The Ahlul-Bait's Method in Educating their Companions
A Discussion Concerning the Mahdi ('a)
ALI (A) INHERITED ALL DIVINE KNOWLDGE
Eligibility for Imamat
Imam Ali Naqi's (as) Judgment to send tricking Zainab into the cage of Lions
Attributing fallibility to the Prophet
Anecdotes from the Life of Imam Ali (A.S.)
The Marriage of Fatima Zahra
The Holy Qur'an and Mahdiism

 
user comment