Imam Hussain — the emancipator of mankind
The writer is a senior journalist and analyst. He can be reached at iamehkri@gmail.com
Imam Hussain ibn Ali will always stand tall as a beacon of guidance for humanity. His message and sacrifice is neither time-bound, nor faith-specific. He stood for the marvels of emancipation, compassion and justice, and upheld the principle of never giving into tyranny. It was quite unbecoming of any human being to stand fast in terms of hunger, thirst, repression and subjugation on the barren lands of Karbala, and that too with his kith and kin, and companions of an immaterial numerical strength of 72 in front of an army of nine lakhs. But Hussain did it, and triumphed. As Iqbal, the Poet of East, said “blood overrode the might of sword”, making Hussain immortal and legend for all times to come.
Hussain is relevant even today in this age of materialism, insanity and irreligious-ness. Let’s take a cue from a Hadith of the Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), “Inna al-Husayn Misbah ul-Huda Wa Safinat un-najat.” That, “Indeed Hussain is a beacon of guidance, and he is the ark of salvation.” Then the Holy Prophet (PBUH) went on to elucidate, “…whoever boards this ark is saved and whoever turns away from it, he is doomed and will drown and perish.”
In a similar narration, the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Husain is from me and I am from Husain.” That summarises the greatness of Hussain, who held high the legacy of his grandfather, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), by resuscitating Islam from the clutches of adultery, wickedness, falsehood, bigotry and cowardice that had crept deep inside the body-politick of the divine religion.
As the true spirit and message of Islam lives on, it has its gratitude to pay for Imam Hussain and the maimed souls of Karbala, whose bodies were stampeded, heads severed and carried on spears, and their women and children paraded in Kufa and Damascus, and later incarcerated in the dungeons. This is not just another tragedy in human history, but a tale and tribulation of bloodbath and barbarism let loose on the noble family of the Prophet (PBUH).
Hussain restored the glory of Islam and its truthfulness for all times to come with his pious blood, and that is why he is rightly termed as the Waris (heir) to all the Anbiya (prophets), whose God-bestowed message saw fruition till the doom’s day in Karbala’s martyrdom.
Hussain exhibited his unflinching faith in Tawhid (Oneness of Almighty), and standing fast on the teachings of his grandfather he had the courage and conviction to dissuade all temporal temptations. It is his exaltedness that he even refused a Mayzar (divine message on the day of Ashura sent through angels; Ref: Yaʿqūb al-Kulaynī, Usool-e-Kafi, 329 Hijra from a Hadith of Imam Al-Baqar) for an unending life in lieu of what he had sacrificed till that moment, and desired to meet his Lord by going down fighting and shedding his blood. That is Hussain’s trait and none can match it ever!
The great Imam salvaged the human race from the slurs of subjugation by refusing allegiance to an iniquitous (Yazid) and left behind an unparalleled example. Hussain had the high moral character to ask his adversaries, who had gathered to exterminate him, “Am I not a righteous Imam? Didn’t I uphold the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH)? Am I not the best to lead among yourselves….?” The reply was affirmative, and that testified the Imam’s indispensable leadership against the ignoble of all times.
Perhaps that is why Hussain on Rajab 24, 60 Hijra, days before his bidding adieu to Medina, proudly thundered in the court of Waleed “Mujh Jaisa Tujh Jaise Ki Bayyat Nahi Kar Sakta” i.e. “the one like me can never owe allegiance to a character like you…”
That courage and steadfastness is in need of being emulated in today’s roguish society, by resourcing to the message of Hussain, as calls surmount for surrender to a corrupt order. Karbala resurrects the spirit of good as an institution, marveling at the grace, temperament, philosophy and psychology that Hussain and his companions stood for.
The clarion call of Hussain on the banks of Euphrates — wherein he cried, “Hal Min Nasirin Yansorona?” i.e. Is there any helper to help us?” — will keep resonating for all times, rallying mankind to stand for right against wrong, mesmerising freedom-lovers of every generation with a reminder of never to surrender to cruelty and ignominy. That is so because the scion of Ali and Fatima has registered an unprecedented epilogue of conviction by soaking the dirt of Karbala with his holy blood, leaving behind undeniable prints on human conscience.
Karbala provides guidance to reform human conduct and character, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, and to unite against deceit. Perhaps that is what humanity is in need of today as hunger, deprivation, cruelty and extermination of mankind is the order of the day, and where morality has taken a backseat. Karbala simply distinguishes among the hearty and the heartless as respect is paid to the great selfless martyrs of 61 Hijra who fought for 10 hours on the 10th of Muharram to live on till time immemorial.
Hussain’s narration and steadfastness touches the human heart and that is why infinite literature and prose has been written on his message, ordeal, bravery and submission to none but the Almighty. Allama Baqar Majlisi (1628-1699 AD) narrates in Maqtal-e-Hussain, Hussain’s body bore more than 900 wounds, and even after collecting 71 dead from the battlefield, he was not bothered and went down fighting.
That is a treatise of exceptional resoluteness. Likewise, none in human destiny had companions as loyal and firm as Hussain was blessed with, and there is no household other than that of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) who overcame fear of being a minority to rise and triumph on the premise of their mutilated bodies and bloodbath.
Dr Allama Iqbal was apt as he wrote, “Shahadat-e-Sirr-e-Shabbir Ki Gar Tafseer Ho Jai; Musalmano Ka Qiblah Rouz-e-Shabbir Ho Jaye” meaning “If the martyrdom of Shabbir [Hussain] is rightly interpreted; then the tomb of Shabbir (Karbala) will become the Qiblah.” This epic and heroism makes Karbala relevant to every age and generation. It is just in need of being understood.