لطفا منتظر باشید ...
Part 7 - Hussain's Sermon
At forenoon of the tenth of Muharram when the heat of the sun started scorching the
earth, Hussain, his household and companions began to feel the severity of thirst. The
enemy was adamant not to give them access to the water of the River Euphrates out of
Jahili'ite enmities and Badri'ite grudges. Therefore, Aba Abdillah AI-Hussain, feeling the
strain of thirst, mounted his horse and opened the leaves of Al-Qur'an over his head and
stood in front of the belligerent camp and shouted, "The Book of Allah and the Sunna
(tradition) of my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (S) are the arbiters between you and
me". He then made them bear witness on his pure soul and that he was wearing the coat
of arms of the Prophet (S), his buckler and his turban.
They said that his statement was true. He then asked them what made them decide on
fighting him. Their answer was that it was out of obedience to the Emir Obaidullah bin
Ziyad. He then delivered this sermon:
Hussain's sermon:
"May grief and evil befall you, You wretched bunch! You
distressfully called upon us to come to your rescue and when we responded fully, you
unsheathed your swords against and pushed us unto the fire which we set alight for our
enemy as well as yours. You, therefore, played into the hands of your enemy against your
masters (the friends of God). Without justice the enemy administered amongst you and
without hope you placed in them. Woe unto you! You abandon us while the sword is still
blemished, oneself is collected, and the mind is yet to be made up. Yet, you rushed like
the creeping bird and fell over yourselves like butterflies crowding on a flower; then you
wrecked it; to hell with you! Oh you slaves of the bondmaid! Ahzab outlanders, forsakers
of the Book [of Allah], distorters of facts, bunch of evil, blow of Satan, extinguishers
of norms! Woe unto you! Have you chosen to support those, and let us down? Yes, by the
Almighty this emanates from an old intrinsic treachery, fed to your origins and handed
down to you; therefore, you are like a malignant fruit - distressing to look at and
sickening when eaten."
"The bastard and the son of a bastard has left us but two choices,
either resorting to the sword or capitulating. How preposterous! Humiliation is not our
cup of tea! Allah shall never let this happen to us; so shall His Messenger, the
believers, and chaste and pure laps and proud souls. For the sake of these values we would
rather die in an hour and not submit to the ignobles. Hence my march leading this family
albeit meagre in number and deserted by would-be supporters."
Hussain thundered: "0, wretches you
Before the swine pearls I threw.
Don't venom spit in religion's name
Comprehend I do, your noxious game.
When degeneration marks its way
An entire nation goes astray.
Delusion, do not let you sway
Confounded whims induce decay.
For you is mild profoundest hell
That infernal jail can't match you well.
A hideous deed, sponsor not
Save your conscience, mend your lot
Erase and efface your sins' stains
With tainted conscience, no one gains
The lure, the virtuous to pursue
The crass chase it, to grab it, run.
This pathless desolation, do not tread
'Tis disquietude, self-imposed dread
Don't your conscience push and goad
Vainly, trudge not a craggy road".
