:: Muharram - The Beginning of the Islamic New Year :: - Page 2

As-salam 'alaykum 😊

Now, that (mine) is a different post than the previous ones...

Thank you for including the bit of information about Karbala, as well, in your post - I have to admit, I was positively surprised about it, especially since there was no judgment about the mourning period. Apart from the massacre, as such, people mourn about what happened before (when Husayn [a] and his camp were cut off from the water supplies on the 7th Muharram, for example) and after (when his [a] tents were burnt, his children and womenfolk taken as prisoners, ripped off their veils and paraded through Kufa and Damascus alongside the heads of the martyrs).

Of course, there's a lot more to Karbala on a historical and cosmological hence, religious layer than Husayn [a] simply refusing to give bayyah to Yazeed, but even many Shia Muslims don't realize that, at times, so.

It is just nice to see 'others' acknowledging the tragedy, no matter how, as Imam Husayn [a] is not strictly a Shia personality and what he did on the plains of Karbala, he did for the whole Muslim ummah. On that note, I'd also like to mention that there are some differences regarding Muharram between Sunnis and Shias (like, fasting/not fasting on Ashura) but that's beside the point of my post.

I was thinking about opening a thread on Muharram, myself, but I didn't know where, exactly, and how such things work here on IF (never done it) and now, you were faster^^ So, I hope you don't mind me sharing some things in regards to the tragedy of Karbala, here? I admit I am a little hesitant to do so as I don't want to offend anyone, dispute or anything- just share a little from the other side of the coin.

Before starting, I'd like to mention something: many (religious) things are heavily influenced by culture regardless of whether it's within the boundaries of religion or not and it's the same for the mourning; different communities have, sometimes, different ways of mourning. So, just because you see certain people do certain things during this time (interesting ones, maybe strange ones or even repelling ones) - it doesn't mean that those things are part of the Shia madhab and teachings.

Also, if anyone has any questions - feel free to PM me 😊

Who was Husayn ibn Ali [a]?

The one whom RasulAllah [s] called his son and whom he used to carry and kiss; the one whom Fatima Zahra [a] birthed and loved, the one whom Ali [a] raised with affection, the one for whom Hasan [a] prepared loyal supporters, the one whose message Zainab [a] and Umme Kulthum [a] and al-Sajjad [a] kept alive for eternity;

The one who sat next to the broken bodies of each of his helpers, the one who collected his 17 dead family members- his cousins, the young sons of his sister, Zainab; the sons of his deceased brother, Hasan; his beloved brothers amongst whom was Abbas ibn Ali who won back the river but didn't drink a drop of water and who lost both his arms; the one who took out the spear of his son, Ali al-Akbar's, chest; who bent to kiss his thirsty infant child but an arrow preceded him in kissing the child's neck;

The one who set out to save his grandfather's ummah and to preserve Islam; the one who prostrated amidst a rain of arrows and made zikr of Allah surrounded by the odor of death; the one who fullfilled Ismail's [a] sacrifice; the one who chose Allah and akhira over the dhunya without hesitation; the one who was left without a shroud and unburied for days on the sands of Karbala; the one on whose graves Angels cry.

The one who is remembered, today, in every corner of the world; whose flags are raised on Ashura, high and mighty; whose light his followers will keep burning till the day of Qiyamat for, as Sayyeda Zainab binte Ali [a] said in the court of Yazeed: "Do your best and put all your efforts into it! By Allah, you will not erase our remembrance."

Ashura in Karbala, millions upon millions paying their respect to the Father of the Free:

"Husayn is from me, and I am from Husayn." - Prophet Muhammad [s]

"Muharram was a month in which even the people of Ignorance (Jahliyya) made the fighting forbidden. But our blood in times of Islam was spilled, the sanctity of our women breached, our women and children taken as war prisoners, our tents burnt, our belongings pillaged and there was no Hurmah to RasulAllah [s] that was respected in that day regarding us." Imam al-Ridha [a]

Once, someone asked al-Sajjad [a] (the only surviving son of Husayn [a] who, even years after the tragedy, cried whenever food and water was placed in front of him), what had been more painful for you, Karbala, Kufa or Sham (Damascus)? And he [a] replied, Sham, Sham, Sham.

"Allah sent support for al-Husayn [a] until it filled that which was between the heaven and the Earth. Then, he was left to choose: victory of meeting Allah. So, he chose to meet with Allah." - Imam al-Baqir [a]

And when the day of judgment (arrives), the Messenger of Allaah [s] will come with Al-Hussayn [a], and his [s] hand on his [a] head dripping with blood. Then he [s] will say: O Lord! Ask my ummah (nation) why did they kill my son?!' - Imam Jafar as-Sadiq [a], al-Toosi, al-Amaalee

"I have come to seek rectification (islah) of the nation of my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah [s]." - Imam Husayn [a]

"I shall go towards death and there is no shame for a man in death as long as his intentions are based on truth and he fights Jihad as a Muslim. There is no shame in death for the valiant as long as they support the righteous, fight the criminals and abandon the criminals. Thus if I live, I shall not have any regrets and if I am slain, I will not be blamed. Nothing is more humiliating than living under humiliation of oppressors." - Husayn ibn Ali [a]

"There is no escaping a day inscribed by the Pen, the pleasure of Allah is our pleasure - the people of the House (Ahl-ul-Bayt), we will be patient upon His trials and He will recompense us the reward of the patient ones." - Part of a surviving portion of the Final Khutba (sermon) of Imam Husayn [a] to his closest companions on the eve of his departure from Makka

The dua of Ashura, one of the last ones Husayn [a] recited (Eng subs):

https://youtu.be/VOXcyH4wo24

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Edit: I forgot something in relation to those advising Husayn [a] not to go (ironically enough, many/some of those pledged allegiance to Yazeed) in my original post (so, editing it) - firstly, the Imam [a] didn't leave Medina with his family because he was called to Kufa. The lackeys of Yazeed (amongst them the governor of Medina) turned more and more aggressive the longer he refused to give bayyah hence, why the city of his grandfather wasn't safe for them, anymore. The letters from Kufa came later, when he was in Makka (where they tried to assassinate him, as well).

Secondly, in a letter to his brother, Muhammad al-Hanfiyya, Husayn [a] wrote while preparing to set out: "In the name of Allah the Beneficient the Merciful: From al-Husayn b. Ali to Muhammad b. Ali and those who are with him from the Children of Hashim [in Medina]. Verily, one who joins me will be martyred, and one who does not join me will not attain the Victory. Peace."

As for the women- Allah is the Greatest of all Planners. If not for them, we probably would never have known the extent of what transpired in Karbala and after. How miserably Muslims failed in that test of Allah. When we say Husayn saved Islam' we don't forget to mention that If not for Zainab and the women and children, this would not have been possible'. Some lines come to mind, a recitation about when Zainab returned to Karbala after the imprisonment, "Bhaiyya, teri Zainab ujad chuki hai, maloom hai tum ko? Lekin teri shahadat ghar ghar tak pohuncha kar aayi hai. Shabas nahi do gaye behen ko, seene se laga kar, bhai?"

Truly enough, those present in Karbala were of another level of spirituality and ma'rifah [knowledge/belief] than those refraining from joining. It is easy to advise someone not to do something thinking you know better, and much more difficult in trusting someone wholeheartedly and disputing over who is going to die, first, for him. There's a lot we can and should learn from these personalities.

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I am not going to wish anyone on the New Year - don't take any offense, as I don't mean any, but there's nothing to rejoice in these days for many. But I pray to Allah for some things on this occasion:

May He protect families from being ruined (ujadna) like 'Muslims' ruined (ujada) the family of his Prophet [s]. May He protect women and children from being humiliated and made to suffer inhumane pain like the daughters and children of Prophet Muhammad [s] were made to.

And may He give us all a small portion of the will al-Husayn [a] had: the one who didn't break down even after carrying 72 bodies of faithful and loved ones in one day amongst them the son who was a mirror-image of his holy grandfather and that innocent infant son of his -

and may He give us all a little of the strength Husayn's [a] blessed sisters, especially Sayyeda Zainab [a], and his grievously ill son, Ali al-Sajjad [a], possessed- who, even after all the torture and pain and humiliation, didn't bow their heads in front of Yazeed in his courts;

So, that we all may be able to face the hardships which life throws at us with steadfastness and God remembrance.

May Allah have mercy on all of us and our loved ones and guide us and protect us from all evil bi haqqe (by the right of) the Master of the Martyrs, the son of RasulAllah [s], the leader of the youths of Paradise (alongside his blessed brother), Husayn ibn Ali [a].

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I'd also like to share two recitations (there are many beautiful ones, but my post is already pretty long...)

I don't listen much to English recitations (nohay), but this is one of the most beautiful noha, I know: When Fatima came to Karbala, Zainab said, 'Do not look, ya Zahra! Go back, oh mother, they've killed my brother!'

And this one, Urdu: Faryaad suno meri, ek bar mujhe bhai keh kar to bula, Ghazi - Husayn's last wish to his dying brother, Abbas - Haaye, Abul Fadhl al-Abbas, master of all the loyal ones.

Edit: And a quote from a noha about the sermon of Ali Zain-ul-Abedin al Sajjad [a] in the court of Yazeed: Zainab and Sajjad accomplished such a feat that till Qiyamat, the name of Husayn ibn Ali will be remembered.

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Ala min Nasirin Yansorona

Ala min thabin yathobo anna

Any who is willing to support us?

Any who is willing to protect us?

~ the cry of Imam Hussain after he was left alone in the battle field,

He had seen his sons dying in his arms

His women crying in fear from the fire arrows sent to their tents

His children dying from thirst

His companions all on the sand, silent and not answering him.

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Ma asalama, everyone. May Allah protect you all.