The first celebrative Islamic occasion of the glorious month of Shabaan is the birth-anniversary of the 3rd Infallible Imam and the 3rd descendant of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) The second son of Imam Ali (A.S) and Hazrat Fatima Zehra (S.A) enlightened Madina-e-Munawwara a year after the birth of Hazrat Hasan (A.S).
Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain, the two sons of the Holy Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib and Hazrat Fatima, were respected and revered as the ‘Leaders of the Youths of Paradise’ as stated by the Holy Prophet.
Imam Hussain (as) was born in the 4th year of the Hijri calendar and elsewhere the year is also mentioned to be the 3rd year of the Hijri calendar. The Messenger of Allah (S) personally performed the religious ceremonies of the blessed newborn child and carried out the rituals.
Naming Imam Hussain
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) named the child ‘Hussain’ just as he had named his brother, ‘Hasan’. Historians state that Arabs were not aware of these names during the period of ignorance till the Prophet named his grandsons thus. Rather the Holy Prophet (S) gave them these names on the basis of divine revelation.
Later this honorable name became synonymous for one who spread knowledge and faith on the earth and his remembrance enveloped all languages of the world and people became devoted to him. So much so that in their view it become a holy slogan for all the high examples and a slogan for every sacrifice that was based on truth and justice.
Years of youth
Unfortunately, the sweet years of Imam Hussain's childhood were soon over. He was about seven years old when the Prophet departed from this world, after having said his final words about his Ahl al-Bayt. Alas, the Islamic world mourned.
The loss of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Imam Hussain (AS)’s mother on the one hand, and the oppression upon Imam Hussain (PBUH)’s father on the other hand, in addition to the pressures he faced from the government, were bothering Imam Hussain's clean soul. This period coincided with the three caliphates' era.
During this time, Imam Hussain (AS), as a Muslim and a follower, followed the path of Imam Ali (AS) and was determined to defend the truth with any opportunity he received, even though he was in his youth. He would warn people about the alterations made to Islam after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S). In the best of manners Imam Hussain (AS), his father, and his brother would express their objection to the alterations rulers of their time had made to the religion.
The Messenger of Allah said, "Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain." The last part of the above tradition probably means that Imam Hussain (as), by sacrificing himself and his family, preserved the religion of Prophet Muhammad (S) from full annihilation.
Noble saying of Imam Hussain (AS)
- To me, death for the sake of what is right, is nothing but happiness, and living under tyrants is nothing but living in hell.
- The most incapable person is the one who can’t pray.
- Death with dignity is better than a life of abasement.
- If you don’t believe in any religion, at least be free-spirited and honest in your actions
- Avoid oppressing the one who does not have any supporter against you, other than the Almighty God.
The Battle of Karbala
Imam Hussain (as) is a hero and a historical personality. But unlike a historical personality who is forgotten, the struggle of the Imam (as) will never be forgotten. His actions and the events of his martyrdom have a profound impact on society and the behavior and cultural aspects of someone's life. The lessons learned from this episode of bravery are many and they can be applied now as they were applied then. The lessons are aimed not just at Muslims but at every human being and were we to follow his manner society would be a peaceful and happy one.
Just over 50 years of the death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Muslim rulership was sliding into corruption under the tyrant Yazid, from the Ummayad family.
Imam Hussain (AS) took a stand against Yazid’s evil rule. Whilst Yazid was feared and hated for his ruthlessness, Imam Hussain was loved and respected by society. Yazid realized this and understood that if he could convince Imam Hussain to support him, the people would too.
Imam Hussain had a choice. To support the tyrant and live a comfortable life full of luxury, or to refuse and likely be killed for his decision. Imam could not live his life as a supporter of tyranny, and the choice for him was simple. Imam Hussain refused. He said, “I only desire to spread good values and prevent evil.”
Having refused to support Yazid, Imam Hussain knew his life was in danger. Yazid did not allow anyone to oppose him and adopted a policy of killing those who disagreed with him. Cautious of this, Imam decided to leave his hometown of Medina, and take his family to Mecca.
Mecca, the capital city of Islam and home to the Ka’ba, Imam Hussain hoped Yazid would respect the holy city. However, Yazid did not. Forced to leave Mecca, Imam Hussain set a course for Kufa. A city in Iraq where he had received letters of support from. Yazid predicted this and sent a huge army to block Imam Hussain from reaching Kufa, and force them to the desert town of Karbala.
Once they reached Karbala, Imam Hussain with his family and 72 companions was surrounded by Yazid’s forces of up to 30,000 men. Despite being hugely outnumbered and with limited access to water, Imam Hussain refused to give up. Yazid gave Hussain a final choice. To either support the government or be killed.
After receiving the final ultimatum from Yazid, Hussain realized he would be killed in a matter of days. Imam gathered his companions and urged them to escape. He explained that it was him who Yazid wished to kill, and not them. Again, Hussain’s selflessness shone through. Having been deprived of water in the hot desert, he urged his supporters to save themselves.
Despite this, Imam Hussain’s men stayed loyal to him and stayed true to their principles. Within a few days, Yazid ordered his army to kill Imam Hussain and his companions. When the dust settled, Imam Hussain and his companions were martyred. Throughout the forces of Yazid promised him he could leave freely if he chooses to support Yazid, but every time Imam Hussain refused and was eventually killed, holding firmly to his principles.
Imam Hussain hero of all nations
One of the ways of marking Imam Hussain's memory and showing respect to him among Shias is to pay a visit (ziyarat) to his holy shrine which is located in Iraq's Karbala.
The greatest and biggest form of ziyarat is held 40 days after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussain (AS) in Iraq which is known as the Arbaeen Pilgrimage or Arbaeen Walk.
People of all colors, castes, creeds, ethnicities, and beliefs will attend the Arbaeen Pilgrimage. The event is not dedicated only to a limited number of people with certain beliefs. Arbaeen Pilgrimage presents a roadmap for better living for all humankind.
Imam Hussain (AS) brings the international community closer and unites them in a peaceful manner during the Arbaeen Walk. Millions of people from across the globe come to the dry deserts of Iraq, holding their countries' flags in their hands, and walk 50 miles between the cities of Najaf to Karbala to show that Imam Hussain is not a role model only for Muslims or the Shia community.
Compiled by Mohaddeseh Pakravan
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