The Significance Of Muharram And Centrality Of Imam Hussain

Reference : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/muharram-2011-centrality-imam-hussain_b_1117929.html

Note : We do not agree with some of the points mentioned in this post. According to Shia belief, Holy Prophet(sawa) had indeed appointed Hazrat Ali(AS) to lead the Ummah but the muslims preferred others over him.

Muharram is one of the most sacred months for Muslims. It is one of the four sanctified months of the year where peace is mandated and conflicts are to be mitigated.

The Muslim New Year begins with the month of Muharram. Nov. 25, 2011 was the first day of the year 1433 on the Muslim Lunar Calendar. Indeed the Jewish, Hindu and many other traditions follow the lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar. Whether it is Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah or Diwali, it is not on the same day of the calendar every year as the lunar calendar is short by about eleven days.

Please hold the temptation to wish a happy new year to Muslims as it is a month of commemoration and not a celebration. It was on the 10th day of this month that Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra), grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and son of Hazrat Ali and Fatima (ra) was martyred in the battle of Karbala.

It was a conflict between Imam Hussain and Yazid the caliph of that time. Yazid usurped the leadership of Muslim community and wanted the true spiritual leader Imam Hussain to endorse him for legitimacy, which Imam Hussain rightfully declined and Yazid had him killed along with his young children. It was indeed like the Battle of Kurukshetra in Mahabharata; Good against evil, except Krishna's good forces win the battle over the evil ones.

Yazid was one of the most corrupt and immoral leaders who violated the meritorial and consultative selection process of leadership and took over with his influence; wealth over morality. Personally I have not heard any Muslim who names his or her child Yazid, just as it is a rarity to name Hitler.

The Shahadat (martyring) of Imam Hussein turned two critical chapters in Islam.

First, it killed the democratic process in Islam. When Prophet Muhammad passed away, he did not pass the leadership to his son- in-law (different legitimate views prevail), the most qualified one to lead, and was the first one to believe in Prophet's message and he grew up with him.

Prophet Muhammad believed in a consultative process for civil society. Spiritual teaching was not necessarily needed since Islam was complete and fully established. Hence, the Prophet did not appoint any one as his successor because, he probably thought that public governance was not his to dole out but best determined through a democratic process. And, thankfully a good system was moving forward, selecting leaders based on consultation and merit. Indeed previous to Yazid, at least the first four caliphs were elected through the process of consultation. This came to an abrupt end with Yazid; it is a day to mourn for the demise of a nascent democratic system, where the leadership was not passed onto the next heir.

The second part is the sad demise of Imam Hussain where we lost the righteous guidance for centuries to come. Personally, I view it as a celebration, hailing the hero of Islam, because he showed the strength of his character by valuing morality and righteousness over his own life. Indeed there is a couplet in the Urdu language that is etched in the memories of the people of the subcontinent.

Qatl-e-Hussain asl may marg-e yazid hai,
Islam Zinda hota hai her karabla ke baad.

The essence of this couplet means, that killing of Imam Hussain is actually the death of evil, as the longing to be righteous and just gets refreshed after each conflict. He was martyred on the 10th day of Muharram and many a Muslim fasts on that day and pledges to be righteous from there onward.

Many others commemorate by meeting in the mosques every evening and sharing the glorious stories of Imam Hussain and his family's sacrifices. On the 10th day of Muharram known as Yom-e-Ashura (Farsi for day of Muharram), difficult rituals are observed to pay tribute to Imam Hussain and feel his pain, to express that his pain was greater than all the pain of the majlis (gathering) combined.

Please note that I have taken the pledge today to do my individual share of honoring Imam Hussain to un-divide ourselves. I will do my best to write about our stories, our ideas and our philosophies that we all jointly own. We the Muslims of all hues, are in this together. These are not only our stories, Muslim stories, but also belong to whole humanity. We have to work to create a better world. I am not secure if others around me are not, and no one will have peace of mind if what surrounds them is not. Our words and acts should bring peace and not stir it up.

This prayer is written up for everyone and if your spirit feels in tune with it, please say 'Amen' after each line of the prayer.

Dear God, guide us to seek new beginnings for humanity where no one has live in anxieties, discomfort or fear of the other.

Let this Muharram pave the way for peace and justice for one and all.

I pray that the Shahadat of Imam Hussain become the catalyst for us to remove our differences and come together for peace, security and prosperity of Muslims and every human being.

Ashura: How Reflecting on Hussein's Sacrifice Made Me Honest

Reference : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amin-g-aaser/ashura-sacrifice-of-hussein_b_1130696.html

Will somebody turn off that alarm?!

As my alarm clock rang, feelings of insecurity began to run through my skin. My body turned cold and the hairs on my arm raised as a thought entered my mind -- was my final presentation this morning? "Man. This is 35 percent of my grade," I thought to myself. I quickly ran to my computer to check the syllabus, and to my dismay, I was right. How could this have slipped my mind? I started to draft an email to my professor, and thoughts of Hussein's sacrifice in Karbala began to surface...

Long ago, Hussein, a distinguished spiritual leader in Arabia faced an incredible challenge: accept the rule of a wicked tyrant and live, or reject the immoral leadership and be martyred?

Hussein was no ordinary cleric. His grandfather, the Prophet of Islam, denoted Hussein as a "Chief of the Youth of Paradise." As a result of Hussein's authority, Yazid, the newly appointed leader of the Muslim Ummah (nation) required the allegiance of Hussein in order to be effective. However, Hussein accepting the leadership of Yazid would mean legitimizing a corrupt drunkard who engaged in pedophilia among other vices.

Pressure was put on Hussein to accept the authority of Yazid; the climax of which occurred in the desert of Karbala, when Hussein and his group of 120 friends and family were surrounded by the forces of Yazid, numbering in more than 30,000 (yes, that is the right number of zeros). At this point, Hussein was posed a final ultimatum: accept the leadership of Yazid or be mercilessly butchered.

On the 10th of Muharram (first month of the Islamic calendar) in the year 680 C.E., Hussein and his companions were murdered. The forces of Yazid spared no one, even decapitating the 6-month-old baby of Hussein. Once dead, the bodies of Hussein and his companions were trampled by horses, and the women of Hussein's family were paraded over 500 kilometers and imprisoned. While Hussein and his family were killed on that Muharram 10th day, known as Ashura, a message of righteousness and reformation was born.

Bidding Good

As a child, I would watch superhero's on TV say, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." However, the story of Hussein is not one of imagination; rather, a real life super hero who spurred a revolution, founded on the idea of standing up for good, no matter what the price. After the death of Hussein, the lay people within the Muslim Ummah woke up to the atrocities of their government. Yazid's reign was soon toppled, lasting only three years.

Patience

In the second chapter of the Quran (verses 155-158), God promises that every person will be tested with challenges. He further says, in order to be successful during these challenging periods, one must remain patient, believing "to God I belong, and to him I shall return."

Frequently, one might feel a sense of control or ownership. However, God indicates in the above verse that there is little that is under our control and in fact, we don't even own our bodies. In effect, the only thing that we control, and have ownership over, is our actions.

When we are put into challenging situations, and are tested, our goal should be to control what we can control -- our actions. The rest should be put onto the shoulders of God such that we may remain patient, assuming that justice will be dealt. While Hussein was killed on the day of Ashura, his message of righteousness has survived more than 1,400 years, a clear indication of victory.

Hypocrisy

It is notable to distinguish that the lives of Hussein and his companions were taken by the hands of other Muslims. In fact, a striking metaphor can be drawn from this situation as the majority of Muslims on the sands of Karbala were not on the side of righteousness that tragic day. Hussein and his companions numbered fewer than 200, while the opposition was more than 30,000. Hussein was reported to have said that "as long as people live favorable and comfortable lives, they are loyal to religious [moral] principles. However, at hard times, the times of trials, true religious [moral] people are scarce."

A "hard time" certainly made its way into my life as I contemplated what to write my professor. Missing the final presentation would certainly mean failure. However, the initial thought of crafting an elaborate excuse to somehow justify my forgetfulness vanished. Instead, I used the opportunity to define my character with honesty -- fessing up to the mistake and embracing the spirit of Hussein's stand for righteousness on the sands of Karbala.

The result? My professor replied, noting that I was the first student to have missed the final presentation without an elaborate excuse; appreciating my honesty, she let me give the presentation second!

You can take a guess at who set the curve. :-)

AhlayHadees Questions Answered By Shia Momineen

These questions were asked by Ahlayhadees from a Shias. The attached PDF to the article has detail in urdu language. Which will be translated in English soon. These answers are also based on the following criteria:
Most of the questions and topics discussed are commonly debated between Shias and Sunnies.
These Questions were answered from the books of Ahlul sunnah.
All points are referenced.
If any of the reader still has any question in mind or would like to comment, please feel free to contact through this websites with the subject "AhlayHadees Questions Answered By Shia Momineen " in your email.
http://www.gateofknowledge.com/sites/default/files/AhlayHadees%20Questions%20Answered%20By%20Shia%20Momineen.pdf

The Shia of Uthman [Nawasib] killed Imam Hussain (as)

History lifts the lid and exposes the true killers of Imam Hussain (as). On route to Kufa Imam Hussain (as) met Al Farazdaq and asked him about the situation in Kufa, he assessed the matter saying:
“The people’s hearts are with you but their swords are with the Banu Ummayya”.
Tabari English translation Volume 19 pages 70-71)
When the people had swords raised against Imam Hussain (as) there is then no basis to conclude that these individuals were Shi’a, rather they were Nasibi hiding in the midst of the people.
As mentioned earlier Shia Aama may have switched sides in light of their assessing the situation at the time, but when it comes to locating those with the blood of Imam Hussain (as) on their hands then another group of the Shia of Uthman were proud that they had committed such a deed, a fact that Nawasib always suppress from their adherents.
We have the example of Nafi bin Hilal who entered the battlefield of Karbala, in Imam Hussain (as)’s army declaring:
“I am al-Jamali. I believe in the religion of Ali. A man called Muzahim al Hurayth came against him crying “I follow the religion of Uthman”. Nafi replied, “Rather you follow the religion of Satan”. Then he attacked and killed him
Tabari Volume 19 pages 136-137
So here we see Yazeed’s army was not Shi’a in the sense that Ansar.Org would like its readers to believe rather it was Uthmani.
Azrar bin Qays taunted Zuhayr bin al-Qayn (History of al-Tabari Volume 19 page 113):
“Zuhayr according to us you were not the Shi’ah from this family (bayt). You used to be a supporter of the party of Uthman. Zuhayr said, ‘Aren’t you presuming from my position that I am one of them?”
Note in the reply Zuhayr admitted that he was Uthmani Nasibi but we ask Afriki, ‘what was his position now?’ Clearly his position with the Imam (as) meant that he was a Shi’a of Ahl’ul bayt (as).
From here the truth has been separated from falsehood, the true Sect has been distinguished from the false Sect – Yazeed’s army were not Shi’a, but were in fact Nasibi / Uthmani whilst the army of Hussain comprised of the Shi’a of Ahl’ul bayt (as).
When Yazeed’s forces encircled Imam Hussain (as) and his Sahaba, Ibn Ziyad sent a letter to Ibn Sad in which he stated:
“Stop the water of Hussain in the same way that Ameer’ul Momineen Uthman was treated”.
Tabari Volume 19 page 107)


Ibn Kathir similarly records that Ibn Ziyad gave the order:
“Become an obstacle between Hussain and water and treat them in the same way that the pious, righteous and oppressed Amee’rul Momineen Uthman was treated”.
Al Bidayah wal Nihayah (Urdu), Volume 8 page 1058


 It is as clear as day that those that killed Imam Hussain (as) were those that deemed Uthman to be Ameer’ul Momineen. In Shia aqeedah we do not deem anyone other than Imam Ali (as) to be Ameer’ul Momineen, we do not even bestow this title to any of the other Imams. But the army of Yazeed considered Yazeed to be Ameerul Momineen, contrary to Shi’a Aqeeda.


Ibn Kathir further records:
“Ibn Ziyad wrote to Ameer al Harmain Umro bin Saeed and informed him “ Convey the glad tidings of Hussain’s death”, he asked a caller who then made its announcement . When a Banu Hashim women heard the announcement their they voices raised in lamentation, and Umro bin Saeed said: “ This is the revenge for the lamentation of the wives of Uthman bin Affan”
Al Bidayah wal Nihayah (Urdu), Volume 8 page 1097

Killers of Imam Husain (a.s.): A Historical Perspective

1. Yazid ibn Muawiyah 

Without doubt, the biggest contributor to the shedding of Imam Husain’s (a.s.) blood and its main proponent was Yazid ibn Muawiyah. And that is not exactly surprising when we consider that Yazid is the one who inherited apostasy, tyranny and blasphemy from his father. He was the grandson of Abu Sufyan and the son of Muawiyah. The vicissitudes of time and his father’s political machinations played important roles in pivoting an unlikely Yazid to the highest religious position in the Islamic world. Yazid’s actions and words were unbecoming of a human being, let alone a Caliph of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). His actions were so deplorable that they repelled everyone associated with him. Waaqedi narrates on the authority of Abdullah ibn Hanzalah – who enjoyed the epithet of Ghaseel al-Malaaekah (the one given the ritual bath by the angels) – page 11, ‘I swear by Allah, there came a time when we feared that stones would soon rain down upon us in Yazid’s reign. He was a man who did not even spare his own mother, daughters and sisters from his lecherous disposition. He drank wine freely and neglected praying (Namaz).’ (al-Sawaaeq al-Muhreqah by Ibn Hajar Makki p. 125, Egyptian edition) 

2. Ubaydillah ibn Ziyaad 

Another criminal who ranks high in the list of Imam Husain’s (a.s.) murderers is Ubaydillah ibn Ziyaad. He shares the position and status with Yazid in the perpetration of this heinous crime. He is the very person who Yazid has spoken of highly, as his treasured friend, helper, confidante and ardent supporter in the battlefield. Ubaydillah’s disbelief, apostasy, infidelity and complete disregard for divine laws and edicts were not a secret. All and sundry in Kufa were aware of his disposition towards evil and falsehood. That is why Haani Ibn Urwah (r.a) tells Muslim ibn Aqeel (a.s.) ruefully (when the latter refused to kill Ubaydillah in a surprise attack): ‘By Allah, (you must know) that if you had killed him, (you would not have killed a Muslim), (rather) you would have killed a sinner, transgressor, apostate and rebel’. (Tarikh-e-Tabari vol. 6, p. 204)

3. Umar ibn Sa’d 

The third person who is directly responsible for the murder of Imam Husain (a.s.) is Umar ibn Sa’d. In fact, in Umar’s case, the association with this crime is most evident and the responsibility lies largely with him. His faith and religion are exposed with these couplets that he recited when Ibne Ziyaad short-listed him with the task of murdering Imam Husain (a.s.). ‘Should I let the opportunity to govern Ray (Suburb of Teheran, Iran ) slip by, while it is my most ardent desire? Or should I become accursed forever for killing Husain (a.s.)?’ ‘The world is but a house of goodness and wealth. ‘Then the intelligent one never trades the wealth for debt.’ He then recites some more couplets,the essence of which is: ‘The people claim that Allah has created something called Paradise and likewise He has also created the Fire and Chastisement. If these people are true in their claims, then there is no problem. I intend to repent for my sin (of killing Imam Husain) within two years. However, if these people are proved wrong and there is no Paradise and Hell,then there is no absolutely no problem, for in that case we will have amassed a kingdom in this world whose bounties shall remain forever.’