By Mohammad Al-Mahdi
As I walked through the narrow streets of the city, I could feel a very nervous temperament among the people. Today, not a single individual seems to be pleased or blissful. It gave the impression that they have lost something very essential and important. The air flowing through the city was warm and unsatisfying. Why was it so? The question was continuously perturbing me. I was wondering about all this when suddenly I saw a man. He was running towards me, shouting on top of his voice that I couldn’t identify because of the distance. The man came closer, and at once I recognized him. He was none other than my friend Al-Farazdak. And as he came closer, I could feel that something erroneous and terrible had happened to him. The man came near me and fell on the ground. And as he fell, I grabbed his hand in mine. What’s the matter Farazdak? What is the matter? I tried to help him stand, but it seemed his body had lost the soul. Withholding his hands, I could feel a dreadful shaking. Then suddenly, he looked at me in my eyes. Do you know, Mahdi, what I have seen? Do you know what….? And his voice became low and numb. Tears started falling from his eyes, and as they fell on my hands, a feeling of dissatisfaction crossed my whole body. He grabbed my hands tight and with a vibrating tone he said; they have killed him; they have killed him. They killed whom? I asked. My heart suddenly started pounding deeply. I sat in front of him. They killed whom Farazdak. Whom did they kill? O My friend Mahdi! Do you know that no one is there with him? His horse is standing there alone in the desert? His body is alone in the desert, lying on the dirt. My friend! They killed him. O, God! They have killed my soul’s light. They have killed my Husayn.
And with these words, the Mullah ended his sermon. What a brilliant way to express the vision. As I came out from the Asfi Mosque, the words revolved inside my head. Every word, as I remembered, told a different tale. The words and my thoughts started to mingle and within a second a question appeared in my mind. What is the reason for our beloved Husayn for choosing death instead of life? And what is the reason for not obeying the authority? The death of Husayn (A.S) was one of the most important events in the history of Islam. We should not forget the lesson it teaches us. The man Al-Farazdak as mentioned in the above paragraph was one of the most famous poets of the 6th century who warned Hazrat Husayn not to go out of the city because it is dangerous, and the enemy can kill him. And that was Husayn’s words “God always supports the truth and the oppressed community. It is unnecessary to follow the majority instead of following the truth”.
Husayn ibn Ali, also Imam Husayn was one of the most important and central characters in the history of Islam. He was the son of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Fatima Zahra and grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). His martyrdom in the land of Karbala was an even which holds it unparalleled place in history. He is also known as the third Imam after Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Hassan. The 10th of Muharram was commemorated in his remembrance. Every year hundreds of thousands of people visit his shrine which is located in Kufa, Iraq.
One of the greatest impacts which we can feel today in the Muslim community is because of Imam Husayn. His courage of fitting against his enemy and his ways of conducting it was the most important for the current generation. God always assists the truth, and he examines his people with difficulties. As it is also mentioned in the Quran, (And we will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who when disaster strikes them, say, ‘indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to him we will return.’) Al-Baqarah: 155-156.
We need to learn from Hazrat Husayn how to attain glory and dignity while being in minority and oppressed. It is the duty of every individual either he is a Muslim or not to support the oppressed communities.
“And if you neither believe in religion nor fear the afterlife, then at least be free from Tyranny and Arrogance”.
-Husayn ibn Ali (A.S)
Author ID: Mohammad Mahdi is a young student scholar from Aligarh, India. And can be reached at mahdimohammad2002@gmail.com.
Good wishes to you for your concern about Karbala mission and devotedly contributing your expression for the beloved grandson of the prophet of Islam, imam Hussain peace be upon him. May Allah bless you with good health and knowledge.