As someone who is a descendant of Imam Hussain (Peace Be Upon Him), the pain somewhat hits home. Although the tragedy of Karbala occurred fourteen-hundred years ago, the months of Muharram and Safar are a time of reflection on the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (Peace Be Upon Him) and on his noble objective.

He was a Man of God who clearly distinguished between right and wrong, good and evil, and the injustices present in society. The title of ‘Imam’ is defined as being the ‘Vicegerent of God’ – a Divinely Appointed role, to ensure that the Heavenly Laws are upheld and that peace and justice are maintained within the community and within society as a whole. He was a man who stood up for Truth, and who acted as a force against oppression, corruption, and tyranny.

When contemplating the story of Karbala, many lessons can be learned. Imam Hussain still represents the oppressed and is a beacon of light for those who speak out against injustice.

When Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, he reflected upon the surrendering and signing of all of the terms and conditions of the government. He then thought about Imam Hussain and the Karbala movement. In the words of Mandela, “Imam Hussain gave me strength to stand for right of freedom and liberation, and I did.”

Contemplating the story of Karbala, one can clearly decipher that the intentions of Imam Hussain were solely for a peaceful and spiritual purpose – this formed the reasoning which drove Imam Hussain to travel to Karbala with his family, including daughter Sukayna, aged five years old, and Ali Asghar, only six months old.

What was to occur was unthinkable. The perpetrators who were to martyr Imam Hussain, his family, and companions, were none other than the very people who claimed to be Muslims, and yet who were proven to be hypocrites to their faith.

Imam Hussain never had any intention of waging war, but rather to speak in eloquent dialogue to the ruling Ummayads and to avert any possibility of war. He could not possibly pledge allegiance to governor Yazid, as that would be contrary to Prescribed Laws of the Holy Quran, and to the teachings of his Noble Grandfather, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The Ummayad manifesto sought to prohibit what was lawful and to permit what was unlawful, contrary to the Heavenly Laws of the Holy Quran. 

One can compare the noble purpose of Imam Hussain to John the Baptist – both raised their voice to the tyrannical rulers of their times, speaking out against what was deemed to be immoral and unlawful according to the Heavenly Laws. Both also share the same Patriarch – Abraham, Imam Hussain from the lineage of Prophet Ishmael, and John the Baptist from Prophet Isaac. Both were brutally martyred and beheaded, and both were laid to rest in Damascus, Syria, in the Ummayad Mosque.

Reflecting upon the Noble persona of Imam Hussain, I discovered a man endowed with immense patience who held true to the Faqir lifestyle – a Lover of God, who ate little and dressed in simplistic garments. He was a guide to others, and we have many sayings today which are attributed to him, for example;

“Those who worship God for the hopes of gaining, they’re not real worshippers, they’re merchants. Those who worship out of fear (of punishment), they’re slaves. And those who worship God to be grateful towards their Creator, they are the free people, and their worship is a real one.”

What personally strikes me, is that the Shrine of Imam Hussain, situated in Karbala, is host to millions of pilgrims every year. The Event of Arbaeen – marking the fortieth day of the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain – is the largest gathering of pilgrims in the world, with an estimated twenty million or more people in attendance. Pilgrims of all backgrounds, whether Jews, Christians, or Zoroastrians, pay homage every year at the Shrine of Imam Hussain. Devoted pilgrims, men, women, young, old, and the sick also descend on the City of Najaf, from the Shrine of Maula Ali for a forty-seven-mile walk to Karbala, Iraq. Imam Hussain has many esteemed titles. One of these titles is ‘Bab Al Khawaij – The Gatekeeper of Wishes.’ The devotees have a firm belief that their prayers will be answered by paying homage at his Shrine.  

This brief reflection into the esteemed character of Imam Hussain doesn’t really do him justice – his noble persona was an endless ocean of humility, nobility, patience, and wisdom as well as so much more. He is revered as the Prince of Martyrs in this World, and as the Prince of the Youth of Paradise in the Next. His Noble message was focused around the betterment of the Community – there were no personal desires or needs, expressed within his humble words:

“God initiated commanding the good and forbidding the evil as a compulsory duty for us, as He knows that if these two duties are well performed and established, then all other divine duties whether difficult or easy, shall be well established as well; and this commandment and forbiddance shall invite people to Islam, and secure the rights of the wronged people as well as arouse opposition against tyrants & transgressors.”

“I wage the imposed holy war (in defence) not because of my self-conceit and pride, nor to incite corruption or oppression, but for the betterment of Muslims, the followers of my Grandfather, Muhammad, may peace & blessings of God be upon him & his descendants. I aim at commanding virtues and prohibiting vices, and I love to follow the traditions and conduct of my Grandfather, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and my father, Ali ibne Abi Taleb (Peace be upon him).”

To conclude my personal reflection on Imam Hussain (Peace And Blessings Upon Him), I have endeavoured to briefly provide some insight into who Imam Hussain is and into what the Karbala movement was all about. I hope my words will provide some understanding to the audience on the Noble character of Imam Hussain and his sacrifice.