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INTRODUCTION
OF IMAM HUSAYN (P) IN LECTURES ON ASHURA
It cannot
be gainsaid that the Ashura Day or the Tragedy of Karbala has no parallel in
the history of the world. Though its significance has been realized by a large
number of people, yet it requires to be brought home to the ignorant masses
and the educated persons, who are desirous of learning the true concepts of
Islam, but have been handicapped by hearing or listening to only one-sided or
biased accounts.
This tragedy occurred (61 A.H) 50 years after the passing away of the Holy Prophet
(11 A.H). The hero of this tragedy was Husayn bin Ali bin Ali Talib (P) the
grandson of the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Imam [ Husayn (P) ] was martyred on the l0th of Muharrum (Ashura day
61 A.H) at the plains of Karbala (Iraq).
Why was he martyred? It was because he refused to pay allegiance to Yazid who
was nominated Caliph by his father Muawiyyah. Muawiyyah, who belonged to the
Umayyad clan was the worst enemy of Ali (P) who, like the Holy Prophet, belonged
to the Hashimiite clan. The enmity between the Umayyad and the Hashimiites was
proverbial. In the battle of Badr most of the Umayyad were killed and Islam
was now on a firm footing. Abu Sufyan who was always trying to kill the Holy
Prophet and destroy Islam, was the leader of the Umayyad. Although later he
apparently professed Islam, he was at heart the bitterest enemy of Islam and
the Prophet.
When Yazid, the vilest of the vile, son of Muawiyyah and grandson of Abu Sufyan,
declared himself to be the Caliph of Islam, he got martyred Husayn son of Ali
and Fatima, the dearest daughter of the Prophet of Islam.
The fight between Husayn (P) and Yazid (L) was really a fight between Truth
and Falsehood, and between Faith and Infidelity .Had Husayn (P) any desire for
power, he would not have gone forward to sacrifice his life along with a band
of less than hundred of his kith and kin including his children and women.
This tragedy occurred within fifty years of the passing away of the Holy Prophet.
During the twenty-three years of the Prophetic mission an unparalleled revolution
had taken place. The Holy Prophet suffered extreme troubles in propagating Islam
which gloriously spread by leaps and bounds with the support of his real uncle
Abu Talib who had nurtured him in his childhood and protected and defended him
from his inveterate enemies.
After the demise of Abu Talib the Holy Prophet pursued
his preaching with his cousin Ali bin Abi Talib (P) at his support, until the
task was accomplished in 10 A.H. It was then that after receiving Allah's command
Proclaim what has been sent down to you and if you do not, you would not accomplish
the mission at all. -(5 : 67). The Prophet of Islam, returning from his Farewell
Hajj, ordered a halt at Ghadir-e-Khum on 18th Zil Hij, mounted the pulpit and
taking Ali's(P) hand in his own proclaimed amongst multitudes of muslims. "I
leave behind two grand things -Allah's Book (the Qur'an) and my Progeny (Ali,
Fatima, Hasan and Husayn). Beware! how you behave to them when I am gone from
amongst you. Both of them will never separate from each other until they reach
me in Heaven at the fountain of Kauther". Then he reiterated taking Ali's
hand in his hand "Whomsoever I own the guardian- ship Ali also owns his
guardianship?" The Divine Mission was accomplished and shortly afterwards
the Holy Prophet passed away in Madina on 28th of Safer or 12th of Rabiul Awwal.
Thus ended the revelation of Wahi,since the Holy Prophet was the last Prophet
and the Holy Qur'an is the last Book of Allah.
The Holy Prophet in his lifetime had forewarned the people of the atrocious
activities of Bani Umayya against his progeny. The Holy Qur'an also said: Say
O Prophet! I do: not require any recompense from you except love for my kin.
Allah also said about the Prophet's Ahlul Bayt: Verily Allah intends but to
keep off from you, O' the People of the House, every kind of uncleanness and
purify you with a thorough purification. (33: 33)
The Prophet of Islam had repeatedly expressed his extreme love for his Ahlul
Bayt and had announced their supreme merits. About Ali (P), he said "I
am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its Gate. " About Fatima he said, "Fatima
is a part of mine; whoever grieves her grieves me." He also said "Hasan
and Husayn are the two youths of Paradise." He said, "Husayn is from
me and I am from Husayn; Allah loves him who loves Husayn."
Now we can see what happened to Islam within fifty years of the demise of the
Holy Prophet. Islam was almost metamorphosed into irreligion. Was it due to
bad teachings of Islam or was it due to those in authority who held the reins
of Islamic Government? The worst period, however, came when one who assumed
the Caliphate proclaimed -"Neither there was any Wahi (revelation) nor
there came any angel; I have taken revenge for the killings of my ancestors
at Badr ."- yazid bin Muawiyyah.
And it was Husayn bin Ali and Fatima, and grandson of the Holy Prophet, who
rose against that tyrant and was martyred at Karbala on the Ashura Day on the
l0th of Muharram 61 A.H. along with his 72 kith and kin including a six-month-old
babe Ali Asghar, who was shot dead thirsty.
The echoes of the martyrs' sufferings and the wailings of the children and women
of the Prophet's Household, who were later taken prisoners, are still resounding
throughout the world. A deep and unbiased study of the history of Ashura will
convince the reader that Karbala has put into the shade the atrocities the world
has ever seen.
