لطفا منتظر باشید ...
(Thikrah Of Imam Hussein
(as))
PART I
EVOLUTION OF DHAKIRI
The term Dhakiri', whatever it's dictionary meaning or
etymological derivation, has always been understood to relate to the remembrance
of the tragedy of Kerbala in 61 A.H. With all its cultural variations and
linguistics differences it has a central religious content. This is essentially
to hold mourning ceremonies for the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.S.) and
his companions as well as the brutal and inhuman manner in which the survivors
of the house-hold of the Holy Prophet (SAWA) were taken prisoners, paraded
through the cities of Iraq and Syria and finally brought before Yezid,
the architect of the carnage and unparalleled atrocities. Today we find
these mourning ceremonies are held by our Shiah brothers and sisters in
every continent. However small a community, with the advent of the months
of Muharram and Safar the community leaders look for dhakirs to help the
members in their aza-e-Hussain. The tragic tale remains the same. There
is nonetheless a growing vigour amongst the participants in the aza. The
hearts cry out "Ya Hussain!", the tears flow uncontrollably at the very
mention of the name of a martyr. The audience may have heard it all hundreds
of time, and yet the sorrow and grief never seem to abate.
To a dispassionate observer all this may seem to be incomprehensible.
Yet he can not but appreciate the underlying strength of character, the
devotion of the participants to their Imam and his followers and the determination
of the traders, industrialists, working men and women and the youths constituting
the community to preserve their identity as Shiahs. This is our resource.
This is our strength. This is our dormant volcano which can unleash the
lava of spirituality to enlighten not only the Muslim ummah but also the
entire mankind. Sadly they remain as yet not fully exploited. In this paper
I propose to suggest ways and means of how best we can tap this vast energy
within aza-e-Hussain for the betterment of the community.
Let me make it clear. None of my suggestions is original.
Some of them I have heard many a times from our ulama. Mulla Asger has
also on many occasions discussed them from minbar as well as at those meetings
which I have had the privilege to attend. I would, therefore, request you
take this paper as a collation of what I have heard and read.
The first majlis-e-Hussain was recited in the market-place
of Kufa by a lady from whose head her veil had been ripped off, whose hopes
and aspirations had been destroyed on the blood-drenched sands of Kerbala
but whose indomitable spirit stepped forward to free the Islamic values
from the yoke of tyranny and oppression. Standing on her unsaddled camel,
she looked at the multitude rejoicing the victory of Yezid. As soon as
people saw her, they were quiet. They knew that a historic moment for Kufa
had arrived. Looking straight at them, the daughter of Ali said:
"Woe upon you O people of
Kufa. Do you realise which piece of Muhammad's heart you have severed!
Which pledge you have broken! Whose blood you have shed! Whose honour you
have desecrated! It is not just Hussain whose headless body lies unburied
on the sands of Kerbala. It is the heart of the Holy Prophet. It is the
very soul of Islam!"
The first majlis touched and moved the people of Kufa
so deeply as to give rise to both the Tawwabun movement and al-Mukhtar's
quest for vengeance.
When the news of tragedy reached Medina in the third week
of Muharram there was such intense weeping and wailing from the homes of
Banu Hashim that the very walls of masjidun-nabawi began to tremble. Zainab,
Umme Luqman, the daughter of Aqeel ibne Abi Talib came out screaming: "What
will you say when the Prophet asks you: "What have you, the last ummah,
done with my offspring and my family after I left them? Some of them are
prisoners and some of them lie killed, stained with blood. What sort of
ajr-e-risaalah is this that you disobey me by oppressing my children ?"
Fatimah Binte Huzaam, also known as Ummul Baneen, carried
her young grandson Ubaidullah ibne Abbas and prepared to go out. When asked
where she was going, she said that she was taking the orphan of Abbas to
offer condolences to the mother of Hussain.
Marwan ibne Hakam reports that every afternoon men and
women would gather at Jannat-ul-Baqee and there would be remembrance of
the tragedy of Kerbala and the weeping and wailing could be heard miles
away.
When the prisoners were finally freed by Yezid, Bibi Zainab
asked for an opportunity to have rites of remembrance in Damascus. A house
was made available to them and aza-e-Hussain went on for over a week. Bibi
Zainab (A.S.) laid the foundation of aza-e-Hussain in the very capital
of his murderer!
On their return to Madina, Bibi Zainab (A.S.) took over
the leadership of aza-e-Hussain in the city of the Holy Prophet. This aroused
such strong emotions in the people and such revulsion against the oppressor
that Amr ibne Said ibne al-Aas wrote to Yezid to have Bibi Zainab exiled
from Madina. This was done in the beginning of 62 A.H. Bibi Zainab (A.S.)
died shortly afterwards.
We have no record of public orations by our Imams about
the tragedy of Kerbala. We have, however, several ahadeeth about the merits
of participating in the mourning ceremonies. In this connection we must
remember that the regime was hostile to the shiahs and was anxious to cover
up the tragedy of Kerbala.
Imam Zainul Abideen (A.S.) is reported to have said:
"When a believer's eyes
shed tears for the death of al-Hussain until they flow over his cheeks,
Allah will provide for him rooms in Paradise which he will inhabit for
a long time. When a believer's eyes shed tears until they flow over his
cheeks because of the atrocities inflicted upon us by our enemies in this
world, Allah will provide him with a true abode in paradise."
Ibn Qawlawayah p. 103
Imam Muhammad Baqir (A.S.) issued a directive which gave
a definite form to the keeping of the memory of Imam Hussain (A.S.) alive.
He recommended that for those believers for whom it was possible and convenient
they should go for the ziyarah of the grave of Imam Hussain. For those
for whom it was not possible or convenient, they should gather together
and hold mourning ceremony and weep.
Ibn Qawlawayah p. 104
There is also the following tradition reported from the
fifth Imam:
May Allah have mercy on
a man who meets with another in order to remember our situation. There
will be an angel with them who will seek forgiveness for them..If you
gather together and occupy yourselves in remembering us, then our memory
will be kept alive in your meetings and remembrances. The best of people
after us are those who remember our situation and urge others to remember
us.
Ibn Qawlawayah p. 174/5
It is reported that al-Fudhayl Ibne Yasaar came to pay his
respects to the Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S.)
After the exchange of usual courtesies, Imam asked al-Fudhayl:
"Do you people ever organise majaalis to recall the martyrdom of Imam Hussain?"
Al-Fudhayl, with tears pouring down his eyes, replied: "Yabna Rasulillah,
indeed we do." The Imam said: "May Allah bless you. I highly approve of
such majaalis."
On another occasion, the poet Ja'far ibne Iffaan recited
to our Imam al-Sadiq a poem on the tragedy of Kerbala. The Imam began to
weep uncontrollably. He then addressed the poet in the following terms:
"O Iffaan, do not think that it is only those whom you
can see here are listening to your poetry. In fact Allah's closest angels
are present here at this majlis and they are all listening to your recitation
and they too lament and weep. May Allah bless you for what you have recited.
He will, inshallah, reward you with paradise for your efforts on our behalf."
It must be borne in mind that the Arabs mostly expressed
their emotion through poetry. Poetry thus became the medium of describing
the horrors of the tragedy of Kerbala, the cause of Imam Hussain and the
atrocities which the ahlul-bayt were made to endure. There are today extant
several poems which the poets recited in presence of our holy Imams and
as such can be regarded as having been approved by them both as to form
and substance.
The only historical account in prose that was written
not long after the massacre of Kerbala was that of Abi Mikhnaf. His account
is relied upon both by Tabari and Shaykh Mufeed (A.R.). Many other accounts
were written and published after the ghaybah. The most well known amongst
these are the Aamali by Shaykh Suduq (A.R.) and the great work of Allamah
Majlisi (A.R.), the Bihar-ul-Anwaar.
While we have evidence of many eminent fuqaha and muhadditheen
lecturing to their students on the various aspects of Kerbala, we can not
assert with any confidence that they delivered public lectures on the subject.
It is, however, authoritatively reported that Shaykh Allamah Majlisi and
Shaykh Shushtari, whenever they spoke, whether to the students or in the
public, they would end their lecture with a brief reference to the masa'ib
of Imam Hussain.
It is possible that during this early period, whenever
the circumstances permitted, dhakirs began to appear and occupy the minabir
to acquaint the people with the tragedy of Kerbala and the cause of Imam
Hussain (A.S.). Poetry must always have played a part in the rendition
of masa'ib. I recollect that in my childhood during the masa'ib the account
would be interspersed with short poems, which were known as bandh.
PART II
PHILOSOPHY OF DHAKIRI
Aza-e-Hussain is a force that can be mobilised to take
the community to the pinnacle of spiritual enrichment. The people who can
make us attain this objective are our dhakirs. They have the undivided
attention of their audience during the months of Muharram and Safar. The
audience is there willing and waiting to surrender their emotions to the
words of the dhakir. This also prepares them to listen to and imbibe the
account of the cause of Imam Hussain (A.S.), the basic values of Islam
and what is expected of them as good Muslims. They would be willing to
be placed in the discomfort zone' by some home truths from the dhakir,
so long as the dhakir does not go into personal attack of any person or
group.
We must never lose sight of the fact that we have only
two institutions to impart knowledge of Islamic precepts, ethics, the basic
values and to deal with social and other problems confronting the community.
One is the madressa and the other is the majaalis. For the adults and the
youths no longer in the madaaris they have only one forum for spiritual
enlightenment. This is the majaalis.
There may be dhakirs who may feel that in order for the
masa'ib at the end to have the maximum impact they should not disturb the
community's personal equilibrium by transporting them to a discomfort zone.
For this reason some of us prefer to devote the earlier part of the majlis
by narration of munazirah or fadhail, often employing linguistic acrobatics,
talking much, saying very little of any use to anyone.
In October 1984 the Irani magazine al-Tawheed published
an editorial which was an eye opener to me. In my opinion it encapsulates
the entire philosophy of dhakiri. For this reason I feel I must share excerpts
from that editorial with you. Please forgive me for subjecting you to such
a long quotation:
"Mourning ceremonies," writes the editor, "are held
by Muslims throughout Muharram and Safar, and in gatherings which are called
Majaalis', elegies are recited and sermons are delivered from the minbar
in which the sufferings undergone by al-Imam al-Hussain, the members of
his household and his companions are narrated. For the Shiah sect, the
majlis and the sermons delivered therein are the primary source of religious
education for the children, the illiterate and even educated adults.
"However, with the general decline and deterioration in
the Muslim Ummah, of which the Shiah community is a part, the great educational
potential of the majlis has slowly eroded, to the extent that not only
the great educational purpose that lies behind mourning for al-Imam al-Hussain
has been forgotten, the majlis has become a platform for intensification
of sectarian animosities and propagation of misconceived beliefs that conflict
with the spirit of the Islamic faith.
"The lamentable ignorance of the masses and the deplorable
negligence or absence of the sense of duty on the part of many dhakirs
have converted most majlis into mere sources of nourishment of sectarian
conceits and delusions.
"Shi'aism, which implies a voluntary and aware choice
to shoulder greater responsibility as member of the Ummah and devoted obedience
to the wajib al-'itaah (i.e. those whose obedience is obligatory) Imams
of the Household of the Prophet (A), its meaning has gradually degenerated
into a mere emotional attachment for the Ahl al-Bayt (A), devoid of any
sense of ethical or social responsibility for the present-day condition
of Islam and Muslims. We, the self-declared Shiah of al-Hussain ibn Ali
(A), should pause and meditate at the answer given by him to a man who
proclaimed to the Imam, "O son of the Prophet, I am one of your. Shiah."
A1-Hussain ibn Ali (A) said to him:
Fear God, and do not make such a claim that God, the
Almighty, should say to you, "You lied insolently by making this claim."
Indeed our Shiah is one whose heart is free from every kind of deception,
adulteration, hatred, malice, and corruption. If you are not such then
say, "I am one of your admirers and supporters."
"Whereas the Holy Book calls the believers to emulate the
Prophet (S) as the most sublime model of humankind, "You have a good example
in God's Messenger for whosoever hopes for God and the Last Day, and remembers
God oft. (33:21)
"The dhakir struggles to project the Prophet (S} and the
Imams (A) as supernatural beings to be admired and extolled, not to be
imitated and obeyed. He strives to drive home the point that the Qur'an
is understandable only for God or the Holy Prophet (S) or the Imams (A),
a book of sacred and abstruse meanings opaque to human understanding, a
book so holy that it is impertinent even to try to understand it.
"The Qur'an and the ahadeeth lay great emphasis on the
duty of al-'amr bil ma'ruf wa al-nahy an al-munkar, and it is recognised
as one of the most important duties of Muslims in general and the ulama
in particular. Unfortunately this duty is discretely shunned by the dhakir
who is averse to disturb the complacence of his audience and to venture
to guide them at the cost of his own popularity. The strategy of connivance,
though full of perils in the Hereafter, yields immediate returns.
"The present situation in the Muslim world is no better
than the conditions that prevailed during the later decades of the life
of al-Hussain ibn Ali (A). All hallmarks of the Islamic culture have been
washed away in the deluge of modern paganism. The greater part of the Muslim
world is under direct or indirect domination of non-Muslims. The sad signs
described in a prediction of al-Imam Ali (A) have already come true:
A time will come when nothing will remain of the Qur'an
except its script, and nothing of Islam except its name. The mosques in
those days will be flourishing with regard to architecture, but desolate
with regard to guidance. Those staying in them and those visiting them
will be the worst of all on the earth. From them mischief will spring up
and towards them all wrong will turn. If anyone isolates himself from it
(mischief) they will fling him back towards it, and if anyone hesitates,
they will push him towards it....
"In such conditions how can any discourse about the great
struggle of al-Hussain ibn Ali (A) be unaccompanied with a discussion
of the lamentable condition of the Muslim Ummah? Is it not the height of
callousness and even hypocrisy to pass by in silence the aims and ideals
for which he took a stand against the regime of Yezid and sacrificed everything?
"Is it not the very extreme of injustice to deprive the
Muslim children and adults of the great potential of the majaalis which
are held in the memory of Imam Hussain? Is it right not to use the great
devotion of the Muslim masses to the Ahl al-Bayt (A) and their great enthusiasm
and zeal during the months of Muharram and Safar-a time when the hearts
are softened by the stupendous tragedy of Kerbala' to receive the teachings
of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives with al-Imam al-Hussain-to inform
and educate our children and adults about the ahkam of the shariah and
the Akhlaq of the Ahl al-Bayt (A)?
"The Shiahs have admired Ali and his sons(A), their leaders
and guides, for centuries, and wept over accounts of their sufferings.
Is it not time that we should start following them in deed, in all walks
of our life? After all they are our Imams, our leaders and our teachers,
who underwent those sufferings and hardships in order to instruct us and
guide us on the Straight Path of Allah? Should we not question our sincerity
if we persist in our refusal to be benefited by their efforts to improve
our lot, to purify our souls and to guide our intellects?
"The majlis should inform and instruct. It should inspire
and enlighten. Like al-Hussain ibn Ali (A), his dhakir, who occupies the
minbar of the Ahl al-Bayt (A), should aim at resurrecting the spirit of
Islam and the message of the Qur'an.
"Only when our majaalis become classes for dissemination
of the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (A) which lie buried in hadith texts,
only when our majaalis become platforms of Muslim unity instead of being
instruments of division and disunity, only when our majaalis and minabir
become the seats of the duty of al-'amr bil ma'ruf wa al-nahy an al-munkar,
only when the Qur'an is made again the book of our life and the light of
our majaalis, only then can it be said that our majaalis and minabir are
doing justice to al-Imam al-Hussain (A) and to the people whom the majaalis
were originally instituted to nourish spiritually, morally, and intellectually."
Al-Tawheed V0l II: 1
Fourteen years have passed since that very painfully frank
and poignant editorial was written and published. Sadly in most cases it
is as applicable today as it was then. The community is torn by strife,
self-interest, dissension and indiscipline. This situation must change.
Only we the dhakirs can bring about that change.
Every dhakir must fully appreciate the fact that he sits
on the minbar to continue the struggle of Imam Hussain and to endeavour
and accomplish the cause of the great martyr. In order to fully comprehend
this function we need to briefly examine the history.
From the day he left Madinah on the 28th Rajab in 60 Hijrah,
at every stage, our Imam made his mission clear. He left no doubt as to
his intentions. It was not to fight Yezid to get the throne of the empire
over which the khalifah ruled. Imam's mission was to reawaken the spirit
of Islam and rekindle the Islamic conscience which was nearing extinction
by the conduct of Muawiyah and Yezid. Justice and morality were gradually
being destroyed by the greed for land and power of those who had become
rulers. Qur'an insists that distinction can be accorded by piety alone.
Since the death of the Holy Prophet a social order had come into existence
creating an aristocracy based on nepotism and blood relationship.
Let us look at some of the statements by Imam Hussain.
Before leaving Madinah Imam Hussain made a will and handed it over to his
brother Muhammad Hanafiya. In this will Imam wrote: "My mission is to reform
the muslim community which I propose to do by AMR BIL MA'RUF AND NAHYA
ANIL MUNKAR, inviting them to the good and advising them against evil.
It is not my intention to set myself as an insolent or arrogant tyrant
or a mischief maker".
In Mecca Imam addressed a large group of scholars who
had come for pilgrimage. He exhorted them to do amr bil ma'ruf and nahya
anil munkar and not to pander to the philosophies of the rulers who paid
them to keep away from truth. This was a long and powerful speech reminding
the scholars of their duty to inculcate Islamic conscience and not to mislead
the masses who trusted them.
The sole cause for which Imam Hussain set out from Madinah
was to perform his duty to do amr bil ma'ruf and nahya anil munkar to the
ummah which had not only apathetically accepted the evil that had been
flowing from the court in Damascus but, sadly, begun to emulate it. The
inevitable consequence of this would have been a total destruction of all
Islamic values.
In a letter which he addressed to the people of Kufa Imam
wrote: "An Imam is one who judges by the Holy Qur'an, upholds justice,
professes the religion of truth and dedicates himself to obeying Allah
and His Prophet."
When Hur and his army stopped Imam caravan from going
to Kufa, and Hur told Imam that his order from ibne Ziyad was to ask Imam
for Bai'at to Yezid, Imam refused to declare Bai'at to someone who was
only serving his own ends and not of Islam. Hur said that such an attitude
might cost Imam his life. Imam replied: "Are you threatening me with death?
Death is many thousands of times better than the dishonour of Bai'at to
an enemy of Islam. Do you not see that truth is not being practised and
falsehood is not being prevented? I see death as a blessing and life with
tyrants as the most disgusting state one can be in."
Imam addressed Yezid's army and concluded his speech with
these immortal words: "My parents did not raise me to submit myself to
an evil tyrant. I am your Imam and it is my duty to tell you that you have
surrendered the freedom of your mind to the evil ways of Yezid. If you
do not care for Islam, and do not fear the day of judgement, at least do
care for that precious gift from Allah, the freedom of your spirit!"
And then, realising that there was none amongst the enemy
who was prepared to heed to his advice, he climbs a sand dune and cries
out: "Who is there who would help us?" Was our Imam crying out for someone
to come and help him in his plight or assist him in the battle against
the forces ranged against him? There was no one left. Hur had come over
and laid down his life. Even infant Asghar had been killed. Who was then
our Imam calling out to? He was calling out to the future generations to
continue his frustrated cause of doing amr bil ma'ruf and nahya anil munkar.
When a dhakir sits on the minbar he must remember that
he has assumed the responsibility to help the holy Imam in his cause.
I would like here to make a respectful suggestion. We
the dhakirs should during the months of Muharram and Safar repeatedly remind
our audience that aza-e-Hussain is not a mere ritual. It is a commitment
to Imam Hussain (A.S.). A commitment by each one of us, men and women,
young and old, to uphold the values of Islam and to subordinate our hearts
to the wishes of Imam Hussain. Aza is our way of responding to his call
of hal minnasireen yansuroona' and we shall be miserably failing in our
response if we treated this most important institution as a mere ritual.
The responsibility lies with us, the dhakirs, and if we fail to discharge
this responsibility we shall be answerable to Allah SWT.
I seek your indulgence to make two final points.
Firstly, every dhakir owes it to the minbar to cultivate
and safeguard his credibility through his conduct, speech and behaviour.
Secondly the community must recognise that if the important
institution of majaalis is to survive for the coming generations, especially
here in the West, the reputation of the dhakirs should not be assailed
in public, especially in front of one's children. This could create disillusionment
not only with the dhakir but also with the institution of majaalis.
Bashir Rahim
14th March, 1998
