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Al-Hussein (AS), the second child of Ali and Fatimah, was
born in the year 4 AH, and after the martyrdom of his elder
brother, al-Hasan, became his successor. Hussein was Imam for
10 years which was mostly during the reign of Muawiyah,
except the last 6 month which coincided with the reign of
Yazid. Imam Hussein lived under the most difficult conditions
of suppression and persecution. This was due to the fact
that, first of all, religious laws and regulations had lost much of their weight and
credit, and the edicts of the Umayyah government had gained
complete authority and power. Secondly, Muawiyah and his
fans made use of every possible means to put aside the
Household of prophet and to move them out of the way. Above
all, Muawiyah wanted to strengthen the basis of future
kingdom of his son, Yazid, who because of his lack of
principles and scruples was opposed with a large group of Muslims. Therefore, in order to quell
all opposition, Muawiyah had undertaken more severe means
until he died in 60 AH and his son Yazid took his place.
Giving the oath of allegiance, was an old Arab practice
which was carried out in important matters like
governorship. Well-known people would give the oath of
allegiance as a sign of agreement and obedience to their
king and showing their support for his future actions.
Braking the agreement after the oath of allegiance, was
considered as a definite crime.
Muawiyah during his life time, had asked well-known people
to give the oath of allegiance to Yazid, but did not impose
this request upon Imam Hussein. He particularly told Yazid in
his last will that if Imam Hussein refused to give the oath
of allegiance, he should take it easy because Muawiyah knew
the bad consequences of such enforcement. However because of
his egoism and recklessness, Yazid neglected his father's
advice, and immediately after taking over the power, ordered
the governor of Medina to either take the pledge of
allegiance from Imam Hussein, or send his head to Damascus.
After the governor of Medina informed this demand to him,
Imam Hussein asked for a delay to think about the matter, and
moved with his family toward Mecca overnight. He sought
refuge in the sanctuary of God in Mecca which is official
place of refuge in Islam. This happened at the beginning of
Shaban 60 AH. Imam Hussein stayed in Mecca for nearly four
month.
This news spread throughout the Islamic world, and many
people who were tired of inequalities during Muawiyah reign
and were even more disturbed when Yazid took over,
corresponded with Imam Hussein and expressed their sympathy
for him. On the other hand, a flood of letters began to
flow, specially from Iraq and particularly from the city of
Kufah, inviting the Imam to go there and to build up a
government. Naturally such situation was dangerous for Yazid.
The stay of Imam Hussein in Mecca continued until the season
of pilgrimage when Muslims from all over the Islamic world
came to Mecca to perform Hajj.The Imam realized that some of
the followers of Yazid had entered Mecca as pilgrims with
the mission of killing Imam during the ceremonies of Hajj with the arms they carried under the special pilgrimage
dress.
In order to safeguard the great sanctuary of Mecca, Imam
Hussein decided to leave for Iraq before completing the
ceremony of Hajj. When he was asked the reason for the
mysterious departure, Imam Hussein said that he would perform
this year's pilgrimage in the desert of Karbala, offering
the sacrifice of not any animals, but himself and his family
and friends. Giving a short speech in the vast crowd of
people, he announced that he was setting for Iraq, and said he would be martyred. He asked
people to join him in attaining the goal of offering their
lives in the path of God.
Imam Hussein was determined not to give his allegiance to
Yazid and fully knew that he would be killed. But it was not
the time to save the life. That moment was the right time to
water the faded lawn of Islam by his blood. Some of
outstanding people of Mecca stood in the way of Imam Hussein
and warned him the danger of the move he was making. But he
answered that he refused to pay allegiance and to give his approval to
a government of injustice and tyranny. He added that
wherever he would go, he would be killed, so he would leave
Mecca in order to preserve the respect for the House of God,
and not to allow this respect be destroyed by letting his
blood spilled there.
While on the way of Kufah, he received the striking news
that under the pressure of Yazid's agents, people of Kufa
did not support his representatives and turned back, and
some of them joined the Yazid's army to kill Imam's
representatives in Kufah. The feet of those martyrs were
tied and they were dragged through the streets of Kufah. The
city and its surroundings were under very strict marshal law
by countless soldiers of enemy who where waiting to face
Imam. There was no way for Imam to turn into unless to march ahead and face the death.
Approximately 44 miles from Kufah, in a desert called
Karbala, Imam and his followers were surrounded by the army
of Yazid. They cut off the water supply of the Household of
Prophet and their companions and their families among them
were many women and children. For eight days they stayed in
that place under the heat of the sun, and the circle among
them narrowed and the number of enemy's army increased by a
number of 30,000 fully equipped soldiers of Yazid.
In the following night, Imam gathered his companions and
gave the a short speech saying that there was nothing ahead
but martyrdom. He added that since the enemy was concerned
only with his person, he would free them from all
obligations so that any one who wished could escape in the
darkness of the night and save his life. Then he ordered the
lights to be turned off, and most of his companions who had joint him for their
own advantages, dispersed. Only those whose hearts were
tested by Allah remained who were about 40 companions and
some from Bani Hashim (his relatives).
Once again, Imam gathered those who remained to put them on
the test. He addressed his companions and Hashimite
relatives, repeating that enemy was only concerned with him
and they could escape the danger in the darkness of night.
But this time the faithful companions answered each in own
way that they would not deviate from the right path and
would never leave him alone. They said that they would
defend the Household of Prophet to the last drop of their
blood as long as they could carry a sword.
The enemy intended to start the war in the eve of the ninth
day of the month, but Imam asked for a delay till next
morning to worship all over the night for the last time.
During the night, some 30 soldiers of enemy joint Imam,
among them was Hurr who was one of the Generals of the army
of enemy. They finally chose their way to be with Imam, and
Imam accepted their repentance. In this way the number of
his followers became close to 90 people consisting of 72 companions and 18 male members of
his family and relatives, while enemy was more than 45,000
by then.
On the tenth of Muharram of the year 61 (680) That
inequitable war began. That day, they fought from morning
till their final breath, and all the companions and the
relatives were martyred. Among those who were killed were
two children of Imam Hasan, only thirteen and eleven years
old, and a five years old child of Imam Hussein.
When Imam himself was ready to fight, he saw his
six-month-old baby is dying from thirst. Imam brought his
infant near to enemy demanded some water for baby, saying:
You want me but not this baby so take him and give him some
water. The words of Imam has not been finished that the
thirst of the baby was quenched by a deadly poisoned arrow
from enemy which pinned the baby's neck to the arm of his father. Imam threw some
of his blood toward sky saing: "O' Lord! Your Hussein has
offered whatever You have given him. Bless me by acceptance
of this sacrifice." Finally Imam came to the field and
fought for a long time and was finally martyred. The army of
Yazid having killed Imam Hussein, cut his head and raised it
on a lance.
The army of enemy, after ending the war, burned the tents
of women and children accompanying Imam and his companions,
and plundered those helpless women. They decapitated the
bodies of the martyrs, denuded them and threw them to the
ground without burial. Then they moved women and children
along with the heads of the martyrs to Kufah. The bodies of
the martyrs were under the sunshine for three days till a
tribe passing that place found them and performed the
burial.
The event of Karbala, the capture of women and children of
the Household of Prophet, their being taken as prisoners
from town to town, and the speeches made by Zaynab, the
daughter of Ali, who was one of the prisons, became a
scandal for Umayyah Kingdom. Such abuse of the Household of
Prophet nullified the propaganda which Muawiyah had built up
for years. The scandal reached to the extent that Yazid denounced the action of
his agents in public. That was what excactly Imam Hussein
wanted to do, otherwise he would not bring women and
children with him and sacrifice some, and let the rest to
become captives. That was the only way to make a wave in
order to awaken the Muslim nation.
The event of Karbala was a major factor in the overthrow of
Umayyah kingdom though its effect was delayed. Among its
immediate results were the revolts and rebellions combined
with bloody wars which continued for twelve years. During
those riots non of the important elements in Karbala could
escape revenge and punishment, including Yazid.
Muhammad Iqbal (from Lahore, Pakistan) said:
"Imam Hussein uprooted despotism forever till the day of
Judgment. He watered the dry garden of freedom with surging
wave of his blood, and indeed he awakened the sleeping
Muslim nation. If Imam Hussein had aimed at acquiring a
worldly empire, he would not have traveled he did. Hussein
weltered in blood and dust for the sake of truth. Verily he,
therefore, became bed-rock (foundation) of the Muslim creed;
There is no God but Allah."
Charles Dickens had said the following about Imam Hussein
(AS):
"If Hussein fought to quench his worldly desires, then I
do not understand why his sisters, wives and children
accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore that he
sacrificed purely for Islam."
Thomas Carlyle has relayed this about the Tragedy of
Karbala:
"The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala
is that Hussein and his companions were the rigid believers
of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not
count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of
Hussein despite his minority marvels me!"
The famous, Dr. K. Sheldrake on Imam Hussein (AS) said
this:
"Hussein marched with his little company not to glory, not
to power or wealth, but to a supreme sacrifice and every
member of that gallant band, male and female, knew that the
foes were implacable, were not only ready to fight but to
kill. Denied even water for the children, they remained
parched under a burning sun, amid scorching sands yet no one
faltered for a moment and bravely faced the greatest odds
without flinching."
World famous Arab historian al-Fakhri has said this about
Imam Hussein's sacrifice:
"This is a catastrophe whereof I care not to speak at
length, deeming it alike too grievous and too horrible. For
verily, it was a catastrophe than that which naught more shameful has
happened in Islam...There happened therein such a foul
slaughter as to cause man's flesh to creep with horror. And
again I have dispersed with my long description because of
it's notoriety, for it is the most lamented of
catastrophes."
Source: Tabligh
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