Asyura or the 10th Muharam in the Hijri(Islamic) calender have many things religious for the Ibrahmic faith followers,more so for muslims. One tragic event also occurred on the day of Asyura too, that is the unjust killing of Sayyidina Hussein (as) by the forces of the then regime under the Caliphate of Yazid of Banu Umayyah. Politics probably, have it that this sad event is forgotten in many Islamic environment. Nonetheless by the scheme of things in the Wisdom and Grace of the alMighty, the fact that it occurred on the 10th of Muharam make it not easily erased episode from the minds of many ordinary Muslims.We hear many people says that Sayyidina Hussein(as) sacrifices is remembered by millions of Muslims. They also said that Sayyidina Hussein(as), stood up against a tyrant, that appears to me like a suicide mission - largely due to the Yazid regime's utilization of disproportionate used of force, which was his trademark and norm. Sayyidina Hussein(as) almost sacrificed almost all his family, in the name of Islam, his Grandfather's (saw) religion is to save his & his grandfather's(saw)religion. Which part of their religion is Sayyidina Hussein(as) saving by being dead through this apparent suicide mission of his?
His grandfather, Muhammad(saw) started a community or a state in the city, Medinah. He(saw) introduced to the world in this era of literate men (notwithstanding he(saw) was not one of literate men), in line his the first revelation Iqra, Constitutional-ism. He(saw) also run his state based on pledges and agreements. He(saw) was a man of his(saw) words that had earned him(saw) a nick name AlAmin. All wars and hostile engagements he(saw) went through are due to the other-side breaking pledges, agreements or acting contrary or against the Constitutions or wanton oppression. Many towering personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi noted that Muhammad (saw) paid meticulous attention to his pledges and agreements and further noted that Prophet Muhammad (saw) would put his own life at stake in order to honour his words, pledges or agreements. The is the way or sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his Grandson Sayyidina Hussein (as).
It is precisely that sunnah that Sayyidina Hussein put the life of his whole family at stake against all odds. It is the way and sunnah of the household of the Prophet saw. It is the sunnah for us all to remember and keep. Earlier his brother Sayidina Hassan(as) had an agreement with Muawiyah to revert to Sayidina Hassan(as) the office of the Caliphate for the Ummah to elect one. Muawiyah and son, Yazid not only violated that agreement but also imposed their will literally by pushing into everyone's throat to say that Yazid is the Caliph and resulted in their many unnecessary murders and rampages. Upon Sayidina Hussein(as) martyrdom, adding salt to the injury, history had recorded that Yazid and his Ummayad successors further violated that same agreement and scandalized the whole episode by bad-mouthing the Prophet's decedents on pulpits in mosques up to until the rule of Umar abd alAziz.
We are now faced with trying times. Words and even laws are manipulated like no body's business. From businesses of all sizes from the smallest to the biggest, courts of laws from the lowest to the highest. Its becomes the order of the day, now, through creative accounting and plea bargaining. Politicians included and including those in the highest of offices. Look at the leaders of "ruling nations of the world". They pledge one thing and do the reverse. Barack Obama the President of the United States and Nick Clegg the British Deputy Prime Minister, all the pledges that they made before they were elected, were thrown to the winds and they announced just the opposite before even their first legislation. Those are the qualities that we present humans have - 180 degrees contrary to the ways of Sayyidina Hussein (as).
Sayyidina Hussein(as) did not want anything to do with such a scenario and regime. He(as) was willing to leave his beloved homeland. He had asked one of the General commanding an army by the name of Hur for a safe passage to either India or China in their earlier encounter. Hur had given him(as) a safe passage. Once Hur realized that the army of Yazid was bent on murdering Sayyidina Hussein(as), he return to Sayyidina Hussein(as) and was granted to join his(as) ranks. History told us that Hur may God be pleased him was also martyred on that calamitous day.
Thus was Sayyidina Hussein's (as) willingness to sacrifice of his entire family to keep in line with the sunnah of Rasullulah saw. Such a sacrifice should have implanted the seed of truth in the hearts of believers and freeman that separated them from the chaff of falsehood of tyranny, oppression and arrogant powers and their willing slaves.
Peace & blessings be to you all, ya ahli-Shahid.
ma6, mache, Klate
