Martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RDA)

 

Martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RDA)

His Eminence Dr. Muhammad Fazl-ur-Rahman Ansari al-Qaderi (R.A.)

Philosophy of Martyrdom The sacred month of Muharram comes every year and Muslims celebrate the occasion with great enthusiasm, the Sunnis in their own way and the Shiahs on their own style. Today, we have once again come together strengthen our faith by commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Husain (RDA).

It is, however, most astonishing, that despite all our enthusiasm and sincerity in commemorating the occasion, we are not really gaining any advantage in our practical life from these celebrations, and on the contrary it is grievous to note that we are sinking deeper and deeper into the filth of immorality and sinful ways and attitudes. Our worth in the community of nation is constantly going on decreasing. It has now become our national character to massacre our own brother Muslims in the name of our province, in the name of our language, etc. So it has been happening and is still happening in our country while no voice is being raised against this attitude. We are forgetful of the warning of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ).

مَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ

“Hell is the reward of one who kills a Muslim intentionally”.

We massacre the Muslims, yet, we commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husain (RDA). We weep, we lament and we grieve, but it avails nothing; we remain as low in our character as ever, as savage, as brutish and as selfish as ever. Do we, then, really love the martyred Imam? If we had loved him, it ought to have been our attitude to mend our ‘behaviour, mould our character and follow his example. The Imam had sacrificed his life and the “lives of those who were dearest and neared to him - he obtained martyrdom with such fortitude, such courage and determination and such nobility and singleness of purpose that the event has come to be preserved in the annals of history as the most noble achievement of valour and piety.

’We commemorate this great event, not to learn a lesson, not to derive inspiration from the example set by the Imam — We celebrate Muharram only formally, a formality which ought to be fulfilled, thought  devoid of any material, moral or spiritual spirit. Formalities do exist in Islam; the prayers and fasting are also formalities, but these formalities have a fixed purpose, a sublime aim-they have certain spirit. But if these very formalities are separated from their spirit, they will avail us nothing they will not elevate us to the high pedestal of Islam. Did not those against whom the Imam fought his noble battle, pray and fast, even as we do? Did not they build mosques even as we build? Then why was this battle fought? Why do the Imam lay down his life?

These questions can be answered, all of them, if we only look at Islam from the proper angle, its structure; its base and the purpose it serves in moulding our personalities and directing our activities.

Islam began as a movement. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) began by pun-tying thoughts and souls, as the Holy Qur’an says:

(و یزکیھم) He was a burning lamp which not only gave light but also enkindled other lamps (سراجا منیراً). He trained the early Muslim society with wise and affectionate care: the guidance which came from him was accepted by his faithful followers in word and spirit. The guidance of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was a complete whole, a single unit, tolerating no division in different compartments. The Muslims accepted it as one single unit and put it into practice as a whole. As a result the Muslim society grew from strength to strength-it progressed and prospered. It was based on the foundation of لا الٰہ الا اللہ.

“There is none worthy of worship and adoration except Allah”.

Hence springs that unshakable faith in the existence of God-the only One who is to be worshipped-the Only One to whom absolute obedience is due-the Only One in whom all ambitions, all hopes, all love and all fears are to be concentrated, the Almighty, omniscient and Omnipresent God who is to be the axis of all our efforts and thoughts.

When this faith takes root in the heart of a believer it leads to the denial of everything other than God, and, of course to the denial of one's own, baser self. But the baser self of man is the enemy of God. He tells the man to do what lie says and not what God commands him to do. It is very persuasive and cunning, and as such, prevails over men of weaker faith and fortitude.

It has been observed in relation with all movements that the zeal of its early adherents begins to decline with the lapse of time"; Every succeeding generation exhibits a gradual decline in faith and zeal, until a time comes when the movement itself freezes into inactivity. On such occasions it becomes necessary to inject the fresh blood of a Martyr into the frozen veins of the movement.

The shifting of the seat of Caliphate from Medina to Damascus had an adverse effect on the Muslim society. The prestine purity of Islam which was sustained and nurtured in the auspicious surroundings of Medina began to be tarnished in the pomp and luxury which came to the Ummaiyeds in legacy from the receding Byzantium. The false and Forgotten values of high and low once again began to take the Muslim society into their abominable grip. Man began to lose his vision of values into the dazzling glamour of false dignity. It was a shattering blow at the very foundation of the edifice of Islam. If no attempt was made to counter act this effect, it was feared that before long none would be left on earth who would, in complete sincerity of faith and action, proclaim the article of faith:

It was the very occasion which demands the noble blood of a martyr. And who should come forth at this occasion of need? Lo, and behold! it is the very grandson of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). Large though the armies of the enemy were, the champion of Islam, the son of the lion of God, was not to shrink. He remembered the verse of the Holy Qur'an which says:

 إِنَّ اللَّـهَ اشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ ۚ

"Verily, God has bought from believers their persons and properties, in exchange for the Jannah (Paradise)". (Al-Qur’an: 9: 111)

"The bargain was made and the commodities had to be delivered there was no question of shrinking. It was a good bargain indeed! The Imam attained martyrdom, and today we are commemorating the great deed, the noble deed of valour and charity. We might serve our friends and the needy with food and drink which is certainly an act of great merit, but we should also keep in view the sublime object, for which this “noble sacrifice was made. The Imam laid down his life to reform the corrupt society-and today our society has become corrupt beyond recognition. A large majority of our population the have nets — are deprived of basic human rights, they are deprived of even their basic necessities. Capitalism has assumed a horrible form and has become the root of many social evils. Our scholars have issued their verdict against Socialism, but they are not saying a word against unrestrained capitalism, which is as great an evil, from the view-point of Islam as socialism. If communism turns men into mere brutes, capitalism also does the same with them. It is, therefore, necessary that a war is waged against both of the evil systems, and efforts are made for the establishment of the Islamic System of Social Justice. Towards this goal should the Love of the Imam lead us.