SACRIFICE OF IMAM HUSAIN (A.S.)

The Grandson of Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.)

By: Ra’isul Mubalighin Allamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi ^R.A.

This week millions of Muslims all over the world are commemorating the great martyrdom of Imam Husain, the grandson of the prophet of Islam, on the plain of Karbala (Iraq) [1365] years ago.

Imam Husain’s aim was to save Islam from the disastrous clutch of Yazid, who claimed to be the ruler of Islam but whose debauchery was a poison to Islam and its tenets.

Yazid openly declared his disbelief in the Holy prophet of Islam and his mission, ridiculed the belief of the Day of Judgment, made fun of the Islamic prayers; liquor was the common drink in his gatherings, gambling was the order of the day; he indulged in incest with step-mothers and aunts.            

Yazid remained in power less than four years; and during this short period his armies attacked Madina and Mecca, the two holiest cities of Islam. In Madina, he killed 700 reciters of the Qur’an and hundreds of the companions of the Holy prophet; thousands of women became victim of his army’s lust: the Holy Mosque of the prophet was turned into a stable; people of Madina were required to swear allegiance in these words: “We are the slaves of Yazid; it is up to him either to set us free or to sell us in the market.” Those who he stated were at once beheaded. Mecca was besieged; burning wood was thrown onto the Holy Ka’aba, and a part of it was demolished.

It was inconceivable that Husain would give his consent to the rule of such a beast. Husain was son of Ali and Fatima, grandson of the Holy prophet of Islam who had said about him: “Husain is from me and I am from Husain”, and “Hassan and Husain are the chiefs of the youths of paradise”.

Yazid wanted Husain to accept him as the bonafide Caliph of Islam; Husain cold never agree to it. To do so would have meant accepting all the evils of Yazid as part of Islam. Islam could not survive as a religion if Imam Husain would have put his seal of approval upon Yazid and Yazidism.

Imam Husain knew very well what he would have to endure as a result of his refusal to submit to Yazid. But he was not after worldly power or material gain, which could be abandoned in face of insurmountable difficulties. He had risen for the cause of Islam, and dangers could not subdue his indomitable spirit. He made his aim perfectly clear in his will, which he wrote at the time of departure from Madina.

He wrote; “I am not leaving Madina because of any pride or worldly motive. I am leaving it so that I may follow the path of my grandfather (the Holy Prophet) and father (Ali) and so that I may exhort people to be righteous and may dissuade them from evil”.

He was frequently heard reciting these two verses during his journey to Iraq: “If the religion of Muhammad cannot be saved, except by (sacrifice of) my head then O swords, come and take it”.

And to save the religion of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w.) he sacrificed not only one but 72 heads.

Before he could reach Kufa, he was met by a contingent of 1000 soldiers of Yazid, who were advancing to intercept him. The midday sun of Arabia had set the desert ablaze. Not only the soldiers but even their horses were half-dead because of unbearable thirst; their water was spent long ago, and they could not get water anywhere during their march.

Perhaps it would have been easy to let the enemy die of thirst. But it was not the way of Imam Husain .He was fighting against immorality; he could not adopt immoral and un-Islamic methods to gain victory. He ordered his companions to give water not only to the soldiers of enemy but even to their horses.         

Ultimately, Imam Husain was encircled in Karbala. He and his children and companions were denied water for three days. On 10th Muharram, the fateful day, all his companions and relatives (72 in number) valiantly fought against an army 32,000 strong, and were martyred; even his six-month old son was put to death.

Finally Imam Husain, after three brave encounters against enemy, was martyred in the cause of Islam. On that last day of his life, when every passing moment brought a new suffering and presented a new tragedy, Imam Husain’s face radiated more and more with content and joy. He was happy that his offerings were accepted by Allah.

After his martyrdom, his head was raised on a spear; his women folk were imprisoned and, after much suffering, were brought to the durbar [palace] of Yazid at Damascus. But the determination of these captives, like that of Imam Husain, was never weakened.                                

The life and death of Imam Husain are the perfect example of this ayat of the Qur’an: “Say, truly my prayer, and my actions, my life, and my death are all for Allah, the Cherisher of the universe.” (6:162)

Thus Imam Husain showed how a Muslim should live for Allah, how he should die for Allah. Such a death is not death; it is eternal life, as Allah has said in the Qur’an: “And do not think those who are killed in the path of Allah are dead. Nay, (they are) alive in the presence of Allah they are given sustenance…” (3:169)                                             

The value of a sacrifice depends upon its purpose. If the purpose of sacrifice is, for example, worldly power or wealth, it cannot result in eternal life. How can a life be immortal if it was worthless enough to be bartered for some glittering stones? Gold and silver are not immortal; they cannot make a life immortal. But if the purpose of the sacrifice is the Immortal Allah, then the martyr becomes immortal. When a person is martyred, witnessing the Glory of Allah, when he accepts death in the Love of Allah then the sacrifice is worthy of its name. Death cannot conquer such a soul. As Allah Himself is Eternal and Immortal, the life spent in His way acquires immortality.                                        

It was this unblemished love of Allah, which prompted Imam Husain to say in the last moments of his earthly life: “I forgot and left every thing in Thy love, O Allah, And I made my children orphan so that I may see Thee; Even if my body is minced (by swords) and pierced (by spears), My heart would never incline but towards Thee.”