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Hussain Symbol of Love and Sacrifice in Islam

It is usually thought that Islam views God as a heartless Ruler of the world, an angry Judge, and a wrathful Lord who is looking meticulously for a wrongdoer to punish them.  For those who have thoughtfully read the Quran only once in their lifetime it is very easy to discard this view beyond any doubt.

However, for those who have not carefully read the Quran, or do not have the necessary means and knowledge to analyse its verses, there stands, in the living memory of the history, an episode which, very clearly, epitomizes the notion of love between the creator and the created, and the sacrifice and suffering that could be endured readily and contentedly by a human being for the sake of the beloved God.

This episode is the event in which Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, offered not only his soul and his flesh to the Lord, but that of his sons, his nephews his cousins and his closest friends, and bore the grief of the foreseeable capture of his wife, his daughters and his sisters.  This happened on the 10^th day of Muharram in a land called Karbala in the year 682 AD.

As the grandson of the Prophet and someone who was very much adored by him, Hussain could have lived a very comfortable and well-heeled life after his grandfather, much honoured and revered by his contemporaries. However, he was devoted to the cause of the Lord, concerned about the guidance that was revealed to his grandfather and eager to make sure that the path of love towards God was not obstructed by voracious, materialistic type of people who had joined Islam only to fulfil their mean and meagre worldly ambitions.

And he did well. On one single day he demonstrated a degree of love and sacrifice towards the Lord that could hardly be paralleled by any similar incident in the history of mankind. He loudly cried his dissatisfaction of what was going on in the name of the Lord and with recourse to the authority of his grandfather; a cry that can be heard even today through the long stretched tunnel of history.

Hussain used to say in his supplications:

Hussain had nothing to loose since he had found a Love that gives life to everything.

Karbala an Enduring Paradigm of Shi'a Revival by Sayyid Wahid Akhtar The martyrdom of Imam Hussain ibn 'Ali ('a) and his companions in Karbala' proved to be the beginning of the downfall of the Banu Umayyah dynasty which had usurped the Shi'a khilafah by deceit, repression, and corruption of the Muslim community. Though the Imam ('a) was martyred with his family and companions, and apparently his murderers seemed to emerge winners from the conflict, it was the martyr of Karbala' who was the real victor. The mourning ceremonies that have been held through the last fourteen hundred years to commemorate this most significant event in the history of Shi'a are generally known as Muharram ceremonies, as they are held during the month of Muharram in remembrance of the 'Ashura' movement. This incident has its background whose elaborate details have been given by Muslim historians and I need not cite them here. Briefly, it may be said that Imam Hussain's revolt, staged against the tyranny, injustice, and repression of the regime and torture and execution of pious Muslims, which violated the Shi'a  concept of a just Shi'a  policy and society, was to uphold the ideals and values of Shi'a propounded in the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet (S), to rescue the higher human values, moral, social, political and spiritual, and to preserve the true spirit of Shi'a . It was basically aimed by the martyred Imam ('a) to rescue Shi'a as the message of the last Prophet, a message that had to endure, not only in the hearts and spirits of saints but on the plane of society, and he achieved his purpose most completely. The episode of Karbala' became the everlasting stage on which, more than anything else, the great spirit of an Imam of the Ahl al-Bayt was put for eternal display, not in mere words or traditions recorded in books, but against the background of the greatest tragedy in human history and scenes of love and loyalty, bravery and sacrifice, nobility and high spirituality, blood and battle, and also those of treachery and betrayal, human abasement and wretchedness, perversity and depravity. Due to his refusal to compromise with godlessness and tyranny, the Imam has been remembered as the very embodiment of Tawhid, of La laha illallah, by all great Shi'a  mystics, thinkers, writers and poets. In the words of the great Indian Sufi of Iranian origin, Khwajah Mu'in-al-Din Chishti:  He gave his life but wouldn't give his hand in the hand of Yazid (for allegiance, bay'ah). Verily Hussain is the foundation of La ilaha illallah  Mahmoud Ayoub in his study of the devotional aspects of 'Ashura', Redemptive Suffering in Shi'a , justifiably interprets the Imam's message to Muslims as a call for enjoining good and prohibiting evil. In a will he made to Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah while departing from Makkah, the Imam declares:  "Indeed, I have not risen up to do mischief, neither as an adventurer, nor to cause corruption and tyranny. I have risen up solely to seek the reform of the Ummah of my grandfather (S). I want to command what is good and stop what is wrong, and (in this) I follow the conduct of my grandfather and my father, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib." In a letter that he wrote to the people of Kufah, in a short sentence he outlines the Shi'a  concept of a worthy ruler:  "By my life, the leader is one who acts in accordance with the Scripture, upholds justice in society, conducts its affairs according to what is righteous, and dedicates his self to God. Was-salam." Addressing Hurr ibn Yazid Riyahi and his troops, who had been dispatched by 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, the infamous governor of Kufah, to intercept the Imam's caravan on the way and to stop him from entering Kufah, Imam Hussain ('a) quotes this tradition of the Prophet (s), which states the duty of Muslims vis-a-vis corrupt and un-lslamic rulers:  "O people! Verily the Messenger of Allah (s) said: "Whoever observes a sovereign legalizing what God has made unlawful, violating the covenant of God, opposing the Sunnah of the Messenger of God, and treating the creatures of God sinfully and oppressively, and does not oppose him with his speech and action, God has a right to bring him to the same fate as that of the tyrant." Indeed, these people (i.e. Yazid and the ruling Umayyads) have committed themselves to the following of Satan, and abandoned obedience to God. They have given currency to corruption and abolished the Shi'a  laws, plundering the public treasury, making lawful what God has forbidden and forbidding what God has permitted. And I, of all people, have a greater right to act [in accordance with the Prophet's exhortation]." On reaching Karbala', a point where they had been forced to discontinue their journey and to disembark on the orders of Ibn Ziyad, the Imam stood up to address his companions. In that sermon he declares that life under tyranny is not worthy of man, unless the people rise in an attempt to restore the higher values.  Don't you see that what is true and right is not acted upon and what is false and wrong is not forbidden? In such a situation, the man of faith yearns for the meeting with his Lord. Indeed, (in such conditions) to me death is happiness, and life under the yoke of tyrants is disgrace. Giving the details of Imam Hussain's refusal to accept a tyrannical and unjust ruler, starting from his journey from Madinah to Makkah and afterwards through its various stages until the Imam reached Karbala', the scene of his battle and martyrdom, historians refers to verses which are said to have been recited by the Imam on the night of the 10th of Muharram (the day of 'Ashura'):  O Time (dahr), fie on you of a friend.
How many are those you claim at the morn and eventide.
Many a friend, and many a one seeking revenge,
Yet Time is not satisfied with a substitute or proxy.
Truly judgement belongs to the Glorious One;
And every living soul takes the path [of death]. 

It is important to note that the Imam's address to Time inspired a number of Muslim thinkers to propound a new revolutionary concept of Time with reference to the Qur'anic verses in the Surat al-'Asr. The Imam did not actually vilify time, but he condemned the time-servers. Otherwise Time, as interpreted by Iqbal, the contemporary philosopher poet of the Indian subcontinent, is, in the light of the Qur'an and the Prophetic traditions, an expression and manifestation of the continuing process of God's creativity as well as the creativity of the human being. While addressing Time, Imam Hussain ('a) indicated that man is not a time-server but time is at the service of man. He proved by his example that man has the power to turn the tide of time and he actually did it. 

The tragedy of Karbala', which was in the words of Imam Khumayni the symbol of blood's triumph-the blood of the martyrs-over the sword, transformed not only the history of Shi'a but also human history for ever. Hussain ('a) initiated a movement that proved to be an archetype representing an eternal struggle of truth against falsehood, justice against injustice and tyranny, human dignity against dehumanization, the revolt of the oppressed against oppressors, and overpowering of the strong by society's weak. The un-lslamic rule of the Umayyads was challenged after him by his followers and descendants, such as Zayd ibn 'Ali, Yahya ibn Zayd, and before them by Mukhtar al-Thaqafi and the Tawwabin, which created a ferment that finally resulted in the overthrow of the Umayyads and the coming to power of Banu 'Abbas, who deceitfully claimed to avenge the martyrdom of Hussain ('a) and to advocate his revolutionary mission. 

However, this movement continued to be inspired by the message of 'Ashura' during the reign of the 'Abbasid caliphs and afterwards. The emergence of Shi'i Sufi movements, like those of the Sarbidaran, the Nuqtawis, and the Mar'ashis, as well as the Fatimi-lsmaili sects, culminated in the victory of the Safawi Sufi order in Iran, who made it a point that the 'Ashura' movement should continue as an inspiring force and dynamic principle in Muslim polity and society. It were the Safawis during whose reign the 'Ashura' commemoration ceremonies took a particular shape. 

The remembrance of the tragedy of Karbala' as a ritual did not remain confined to Iran and Iraq, but also influenced the socio-political and cultural life of Muslims in the Indian sub-continent. As a result of this, in India, particularly in Avadh, there developed a culture that was inspired by the spirit of 'Ashura' which was all-embracing. Other Muslim sects and even non- Muslims came under the cultural influence of this movement. 

Unfortunately this movement, which represented a resurgence of the 'Ashura' culture in literature and other art forms, gradually degenerated in the course of time in Iran, Iraq, and the sub-continent, losing its revolutionary spirit. One of the greatest contributions of Imam Khumayni is that he recreated and revived the spirit of 'Ashura' through his messages against the despotic Pahlavi rule and the exploitive domination of alien powers over Muslims throughout the world. Some of his disciples and contemporaries have also contributed to this 'Ashura'ic resurgence of Shi'a , Shari'ati and Mutahhari in particular. Imam Khumayni and other champions of the revolutionary ideology of Shi'a in Iran made use of the traditional ritual 'Ashura' ceremonies to reach the common Muslim masses for effectively conveying their message to the grassroots of the Muslim society. 

There have been various attempts in the Muslim world to reinterpret and reconstruct Shi'a  ideology to meet the challenges of time. Ghazali demolished what was in his view un-lslamic in the ideas of Muslim philosophers; Jamaluddin Asadabadi, popularly known as Afghani, emphasized the importance of Ijtihad and propagated a pan-lslamic ideology; his followers in Egypt and the Arab world, particularly Muhammad 'Abduh, Rashid Rida' and others, revived the practice of Ijtihad in the Sunni world. Before them, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi and Shah Waliullah had made attempts to awaken Muslims to the needs of the time and revive the Shi'a  spirit. In the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries Sayyid Ahmad Khan and Iqbal tried to reconstruct Shi'a  beliefs according to the challenges of the time and the ascendant supremacy of science and Western philosophy. In the words of Iqbal, all the earlier Muslim thinkers had failed in their mission because they destroyed the prevalent philosophies but could not reconstruct Shi'a  ideas on a secure ground, and they failed to influence the Muslim society in general. 

This failure, in my view, is due to these thinkers' inability to reach the Muslim masses and convey their message to them in a popular idiom. The success of Imam Khumayni and the other ideologues of revolutionary Iran found the popular platform of the Muharram ceremonies as a convenient weapon against the repressive Pahlavi rulers, imperialism and Western domination, particularly the exploitive American dominance of the East, to awaken Muslim masses and revive in them the spirit of martyrdom inspired by the episode of Karbala'. Because of this they succeeded in their movement, while others had failed to achieve the desired end. 

Imam Khumayni not only rekindled the flame hidden in the hearts of the pupils of 'Ashura' culture, but also vehemently criticized the so-called 'ulama' and fuqaha' who, as time-servers, interpreted Shi'a and Shi'a  laws according to the convenience of the rulers and the exploiting class. 

One who makes a study of al-Kawthar, a selection in two volumes of the speeches of Imam Khumayni, as well his writings on the Shi'a  government, in particular his lectures on wilayat-e faqih, one would be surprised to find that the most vehement criticism of Muslim clerics, Shi'i and Sunni, was made by a Muslim scholar. It was because Imam Khumayni understood profoundly the spirit of the 'Ashura' movement and was angry that the so-called 'ulama' and rawdeh-khwans had transformed its true spirit into a mere ritual of lamentation over the martyrdom of Hussain ('a) and his companions, making it a regular means of their livelihood. He criticized and condemned these persons and rejuvenated the true spirit of 'Ashura' among the Muslim masses, who were sincerely devoted to Muharram ceremonies. These ceremonies provided him with the most effective weapon to propagate his message based on the Shi'a  values of justice and truth. Had there been no such platform to reach the masses, he might have also failed in his attempt to revive true Shi'a  values and reawaken the Muslim masses. It was here that the secret of his success lay. The important milestones of his movement could not have been covered without taking recourse to 'Ashura'. 

The tragic event of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain ('a) at Karbala' deeply influenced the tide of time in various ways, in the fields of philosophy, kalam, political thought, social reform, and cultural resurgence of the Muslim world. In India (and also Pakistan and Bangladesh), a culture developed that was inspired and motivated by the 'Ashura' movement. Even during the period of Muslim decadence that culture has, in the words of Iqbal, produced the cream of Muslim poetry and literature in the form of the elegies (marathi) in Urdu, which have exercised a great influence on the Indo-Muslim culture, an influence that extended to non-Muslim communities as well. Presently one can find the influence of the 'Ashura' movement in this region even in non-Muslim literature and culture. Even in the so-called progressive (Marxist and modern) literature, particularly poetry, one can find Karbala' and 'Ashura' used as metaphors to depict the present reality. All these aspects may be elaborated in the form of a lengthy article or even a book, but here, for the purpose of brevity, I would abstain from going into details. 

Of course, there emerged some movements in the Muslim world inspired by the 'Ashura', but could not leave a lasting effect and died away after a short time. Imam Khumayni's success in bringing about the Shi'a  Revolution in Iran and, through it, influencing the entire Muslims world, lies in the fact that he made the 'Ashura' movement the prime mover of a continuing process in human history for evolving a better society that could safeguard the principles of justice, social equity, and the cultural independence of the East. The impact of the 'Ashura' movement on Muslim polity and culture and its role in changing and moulding the history of Shi'a and the world may be discussed in detail under various heads such as: its impact on Muslim theology ('ilm al-kalam), mysticism, and philosophy, its impact on socio-economic reforms in the Muslim world, its impact on political upheavals in the Muslim world, and its impact on culture, literature, fine arts and other creative expressions of Muslim ethos. Imam Khumayni played the most influential role in our times in translating the revolutionary and creative potential of this movement into reality through his writings, speeches, leadership, and his reinterpretation of the fundamental principle of "enjoining good and prohibiting evil." 

It is necessary to elaborate certain significant aspects of the commemoration ceremonies of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain ('a). Generally these ceremonies are viewed from two angles: one is the spiritual, pietistic angle that considers them a means of catharsis and redemption; the other is the socio-political approach that regards it as instrumental in the realization of the Shi'a  ideals for which the great sacrifice (dibh-e 'azim) was made. 

The former approach, which treats the 'Ashura' rituals from a pietistic angle, gives importance to mourning, lamenting, breasting beating in remembrance of the mazlum Imam and considers sorrow as the means of participating in the sufferings of the Imam ('a), his family, and companions. This approach is supported by the traditions of the Imams ('a) of the Prophet's Family. There are traditions that emphasize that the tragedy of Karbala' was predestined and all prophets of God from Adam to the Seal of the Prophets (S) had been informed of the sacrifice of Hussain ('a) through Gabrael in advance. They themselves mourned and made it obligatory for all believers to mourn and be sorrowful in the remembrance of this great tragedy. Fatimah al-Zahra' ('a), the bereaved mother of Hussain ('a), is believed to be the host of the mourning observances, and she is the main addressee of all expressions of sorrow and the condolences that are offered, in this world as well as the other world, and, it believed, she will intercede in favour of her son's mourners on the Day of Judgement. 

Authentic traditions record that Imam 'Ali ibn al-Hussain Zayn al- 'Abidin ('a) mourned his father and his companions throughout his life after Karbala'. He was present at the site of the tragedy and witnessed all the sufferings of his father. Moreover, he had to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of the womenfolk and children of his family after 'Ashura' and he passed through the tribulations of the journey of the captive family of the Prophet (S) from Karbala' to Kufah and from Kufah to Damascus, putting up with all the humiliation with exemplary equanimity, patience, and firmness of character. He is regarded by the Sufis as one of their early great masters, who also emphasized the value of God's fear and sorrow for the sake of purifying the heart and soul. His collection of supplications, known as al-Sahifat al-Sajjadiyyah or al-Sahifat al-kamilah, is a valuable source of ma'rifah and high spirituality. 

The other great mourner of Karbala' was Imam Hussain's sister, Zaynab, known as "Zaynab-e Kubra" and "Thani-e Zahra" (i.e. the Second Fatimah). She bore the martyrdom of her two young sons, 'Awn and Muhammad, without shedding a tear, but was the first to mourn her brother. After the episode of Karbala', Imam Sajjad and Zaynab made continuous efforts to create the institution of mourning for the martyred Imam as a vehicle for the revolutionary message of Shi'a against perverse socio-political conditions that negated the Shi'a  ideal of a healthy society ruled by committed and competent leaders. The institution of mourning over Imam Hussain became a vehicle for the propagation of almost everything that Shi'a stood for. It was not the martyrdom of an ordinary moral, no matter however pious or saintly. It was the martyrdom of an Infallible Imam and the greatest wali and vicegerent of God and the God-appointed heir to the Prophet's authority and spirituality. To those who understood the sublime spiritual station of Hussain ibn 'Ali it was as if the Prophet himself had been martyred at Karbala'. And what greater calamity could be imagined? As the martyred Imam represented the highest embodiment of Shi'a , his martyrdom was the greatest crime that could be perpetrated against Shi'a and God. 

As we know, the chiefs and elders of Quraysh had conspired to murder the Prophet (S) on the night of his migration to Madinah. Acting out a plan aimed to mislead the waiting assassins, 'Ali ibn Abl Talib slept on the Prophet's bed that night, while the Prophet (S) left the town. Later, for a decade, the Quraysh, led by Banu Umayyah, and in particular Abu Sufyan, unrelenting in their hostility against Shi'a and its prophet, made repeated attempts to annihilate the Muslim community in Madinah, which formed the nucleus of the expanding revolutionary creed. When these attempts did not succeed, they joined the fold of Shi'a , and this time all their efforts were aimed to recapture the supremacy they had lost due to the Prophet's movement and to destroy Shi'a from within. The martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his companions at Karbala' was viewed by Banu Umayyah as a great victory in the course of a long struggle against Shi'a and its prophet. Their sense of triumph is reflect in the following verses of Ibn al-Ziba'ra that Yazid is reported by historians to have recited when, after the battle Karbala', Imam 'Ali ibn al-Hussain ('a) and the women and children of the Prophet's family were brought as captives into his court at Damascus: 

Alas! Had only my elders that were slain at Badr,
seen the torments of Khazraj by the edge of the sword.
They would have cried 'hurra!' and given cries of joy,
and said: Bravo, O Yazid, for what you have done!
We have killed the elect of their chiefs,
avenging by his death, the viclims of Badr.
The clan of Hashim dallied with kingdom,
and there was neither any revelations nor any news from the heavens. 
I am not of Khindif should I fail to take revenge,
from the family of Ahmad for what they have done. 

As can be seen, the vengeful spirit that pervades these verses is one that characterized the pagan Arab tribes of the Jahiliyyah. It is a base spirit that still wallows in the loyalties and attachments of a barbaric tribal society that is a stranger to the message of Shi'a of a universal creed based on higher moral and spiritual values. 

Besides mourning for the martyrs, 'Ali ibn al-Hussain ('a), Zaynab ('a) and her younger sister, Umm KulthEm, made very forceful orations describing the sufferings of 'Ashura' and its aftermath that moved the listeners to tears. These orations and elegies composed by Zaynab ('a) and 'Umm Kulthum ('a) extempore exercised great influence on the Muslims and were instrumental in propagating the message of 'Ashura' and the message of Imam Hussain's sacrifice. These may be taken as the early foundations of the 'Ashura' movement and beginnings of the mourning ceremonies. 

There are equally authentic traditions of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq ('a) and Imam 'Ali al-Rida ('a) exhorting their followers regarding the observance of mourning in remembrance of Imam Hussain ('a) and his companions as a means of redemption. In traditions ascribed to the Prophet (S), Fatimah ('a) and the Imams ('a) of the Prophet's family there is another significant aspect to be taken note of. A recurring theme that characterizes them is that not only the prophets and the angles mourned the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his companions, but also the whole cosmos mourned this tragedy. Strong winds began to blow on that tenth of Muharram and when the Imam was beheaded after he fell in the field of battle, there arose tides in rivers and oceans as if they would flood the entire earth, the stars collided, the sun was eclipsed, mountains moved from their places and the seven heavens rained blood, as blood gushed forth from the ground. Such descriptions of the effect of Imam Hussain's martyrdom on the whole order of being persuade his devotees to participate in a mourning ritual that encompasses all the natural and supernatural realms. If not taken literally, these traditions may be treated as metaphorical expressions of a tragedy possessing cosmic dimensions. There is no doubt that these traditions served as the source of inspiration for the devotees and made them feel one with the whole universe and its purpose. 

Later, when ta'ziyyah, majalis and rawdah khwani became popular rituals among the Shi'ah, sufis, and some other Muslim sects, gradually more and more such descriptions were improvised and many events that never occurred were intertwined with the historically recorded events and authentic traditions of the Imams ('a). This was done sometimes intentionally and sometimes due to ignorance by rawdah khwans, zakirs and poets. In poetry there might be some justification for the flights of imagination at the pretext of poetic license, but in written prose works such mixing of myth with history and attributing inauthentic or totally false traditions to the Imams ('a) is unpardonable. This practice was started by some professional rawdah writers with a view to gaining popularity among naive audiences by touching their most sensitive chords to make them weep. Mulla Wa'iz Kashifi, the author of Rawdat al-shuhada, is severely criticized by Muhaddith Nuri in Lu'lu' wa al-marjan, and by Mutahhari in H'amaseh-ye Hussaini. Muhaddith Nuri devotes the major part of his book to describing how sinful it is to attribute some sayings or occurrences that have no authentic basis. 

Imam Khumayni at the risk of losing popularity among the naive and inviting wrath of professional akhands all over the Muslim world boldly restrained the devotees from unnecessarily shedding their blood during mourning ceremonies and advised them to donate their blood for the cause of defending the Shi'a  revolution. He also transformed the concept of intizar, waiting for the appearance of the Twelfth Imam ('a), from a passive state of waiting into active adherence to the Shi'a  principle of amr b'il-ma'ruf wa nahy 'an'il-munkar. This injunction was aimed to give to the participation of mourners in the ceremonies a consciousness of the relevance of the ongoing socio-political struggle of Shi'a and the Muslim world against imperialism and oppressors by following the example of Imam Hussain ('a). Thus he successfully synthesized the ritual mourning with social action. He did not disapprove of mourning, but rather encouraged it with a view to making it the main source of a revolution. 

Every religion and culture has its own myths along with its history and set of beliefs or ideology. The myths woven together with historical facts create the ethos and milliue of the popular Shi'i psyche. The ta'ziyah and majalis provided a basis for the integration of the entire cosmos into the community of Imam Hussain's devotees. They served as a perpetual instrument of keeping alive the memory of the tragedy of Karbala' by all possible means. 

The other approach which made use of 'Ashura' as a vehicle of social and political action may be reconciled with the spiritual and ritual view of the sufferings of Imam Hussain (a) in a creative and innovative way. The Shi'i ethos is dominated by an urge to relive the sufferings of the Holy Family ('a) every year. The Shi'ah re-enact the sufferings of Hussain ('a) and his family with renewed vigour year after year. In this enactment of reliving 'Ashura', men and women, young and old, all participate with a unique sense of commitment and devotion. Thus the 'Ashura' sufferings have come to occupy the very core of their own individual existential experience. That is why poetry inspired by this interiorized subjective experience becomes a genuine and authentic expression of collective human suffering and attains universal validity. For the mourners of Imam Hussain ('a), 'Ashura' is the "Eternal Now." This experience occurs in a pure and real space time continuum, a duration that is eternity. It transcends serial mathematical time of day-to-day life and renders meaning and purpose to human existence. 

This experience prompts every member of the community of Hussain's devotees to participate in jihad and a holy struggle against untruth, injustice and all forms of repression and exploitation of the weak (mustad'ifin) by the oppressors (mustakbirin). This Qur'anic terminology was for the first time used in historical and modern context by Imam Khumayni and was further popularized by 'Ali Shari'ati. Mahmoud Ayoub, in Redemptive Suffering in Shi'a , says. "No one can deny the far-reaching significance of the main rituals (i.e. five daily prayers, fasting of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage ritual of hajj) to the entire Muslim community. But we wish to argue here that the special rituals of the Shi'ah community, the rituals of ta'ziyah and ziyarah, present an intensity of feeling and a total encompassing of space and time unparalleled in the general piety of the Sunni Shi'a ". (p. 277) As mentioned earlier these rituals, which acquired prevalence during the reign of the Al-e Buwayh and found specific forms during the Safawi regime, continued to inspire and stimulate the Shi'i psyche for a long time, despite Shari'ati's claim that the Safawis exploited Shi'i sentiments for capturing power and were later responsible for rendering the mourning rituals soulless formalities. Shari'ati is justified in criticism of the Safawis to an extent, but his view that Iranians adopted many elements of the paraphernalia of the rituals by borrowing from Christian passion rituals during this period as a result of diplomatic and cultural contacts with the West, is controvertible. It is not yet established that the Shi'ah did not make use of certain symbols of mourning such as the 'alam, dari', the coffin etc. before coming into contact with the West. It may be conjectured contrarily as well that the Christians borrowed the idea of passion plays during crusades from the Shi'i 'Ashura' rituals of Aleppo and other Syrian towns. Whatever may be the case, the rituals played a vital role in the Shi'i milieu and psyche. 

Rituals are essential elements in every religion, but during the periods of decline of a community they are taken as substitutes for the true spirit of a faith and religion is reduced to mere ritualism. Shari'ati called the ritualized form of Shi'i faith tashayyu'-e siyah ('black-clad Shi'ism,' that is, a Shi'ism given to passive mourning) as against the true Shi'i creed which he called tashayyu'-e surkh ('red Shi'ism,' the red colour symbolizing blood, sacrifice, struggle and martyrdom), which stands for active struggle against all that is untrue and unjust. Shari'ati and Murtada Mutahhari used the 'Ashura' idiom for awakening and arousing Iranians to the political relevance of Muharram ceremonies, paving through their speeches and writings the ground for the overthrow of the vicious Pahlavi regime. 

But the main inspiration came from Imam Khumayni's interpretation of the true spirit of Karbala', which in his view, is not a battle limited to any particular period of time but a continuing struggle in the "Eternal Now." By the means of Muharram ceremonies he revitalized and re-energized the downtrodden Muslims to fight courageously, fearlessly, and selflessly unarmed against the most heavily armed regimes in the region which enjoyed total support of a superpower like the US. He brought about a metamorphosis of the Iranian ethos and, as a result, there emerged from the fire of Phoenix a revolutionary nation of free men and women. 

Freedom is at the core of Imam Hussain's message. The Imam fought for freedom of all humanity from hunger, poverty, tyranny, exploitation and injustice. He chose death for himself as a free being and by choosing death he chose God and His Will. In his speech delivered before his journey to Iraq he spoke of his choice in the following words: 

 O God, You knows that we did not seek, in what we have done, acquisition of power, or ephemeral possessions. Rather, we seek to manifest the truths of Your religion and establish righteousness in Your lands, so that the wronged among Your servants may be vindicated, and that men may abide by the duties (fara'id), laws (sunan) and Your ordinances (ahkam). 

Imam Hussain ('a) recited some verses in answer to Farazdaq, whom he met soon after he started on his journey from Makkah, when he was informed by the poet that while the hearts of the Kufis were with the Imam (a), their swords were with Banu Umayyah. The gist of these verses is that "If bodies be made for death, then the death of a man by the sword in the way of God is the best choice." The choice of violent death in the way of God was not a better choice only in the eyes of the Imam ('a), but all men among his relatives and his companions chose death in the way of god of their own free will. Death was not forced on the them by the choice of Imam Hussain ('a) either, rather, several times, particularly on the night of tenth Muharram, the Imam advised and persuaded them to leave him alone with the enemy. The old and the young among his family members and companions declared that death in the way of God was a better choice in their view. The Imam ('a) blessed them with eternal freedom for their free choice. The responses of Muslim ibn 'Awsajah, 'Abbas ibn 'Ali, 'Ali Akbar ibn al-Hussain, al-Qasim ibn al-Hasan and others brought tears to the eyes of the Imam ('a). Not only men but the womenfolk of his family and those accompanying his companions offered their loyalty and exhorted their husbands and sons to make their own free choice for sacrificing their lives. They encouraged their men to welcome death on the day of 'Ashura'. 

Women played a very important role in the 'Ashura' movement of the Imam ('a), highlighting the role and freedom that Shi'a has bestowed upon them. Imam Khumayni was perhaps the first religious leader to have successfully brought women into the active ranks of his movement for the freedom of Muslims in particular and the oppressed people of the world in general. Hence it would not be an exaggeration to say that the spirit of Ashura' was re-incarnated in him.

An Everlasting Instruction Imam Al-Hussain's ('a) Journey to Makka by Abū Muĥammad Zaynu’l 'Ābidīn   In the Name of Allāh, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful. O Allāh bless Muĥammad and the Progeny of Muĥammad (ş)

Presentation

I humbly present this short treatise to the Leader of Martyrs- Imam al-Ĥusayn ('a), who sacrificed his noble life, family, and possessions entirely to save the 'truth', and thereby practically demonstrated a timeless model for emulation.

Abū Muĥammad Zaynu’l 'Ābidīn

فَأَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَاء وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِي الأَرْضِ كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ

…As for the scum, it disappears like froth cast out; and as for that which benefits mankind, it remains on the earth. This is how Allāh sets forth parables.                                          

(Sura Al-Ra'd, 13: Verse 17)

Every phenomenon of truth^[1]is everlasting. The verse above likens clean water with truth and the scum over it with falsehood. Some phenomena resemble the scum on the water which finally evaporates and vanishes, while others resemble water which remains on earth and is beneficial to mankind.

Phenomena of truth resemble springs of pure water that quench every generation to come. They also benefit those who lived prior to their existence. Therefore their effect transcends time. Narratives indicate that the past Prophets of God after having been informed about what will befall the grandson of the last Prophet of God (s) cursed his killers.^[2] Hence the matter is beyond the confines of time or place. Such is the nature of an event of truth.

Those events which have Divine color always remain, but those phenomena which concern other than Allāh never subsist. The Holy

Qur’ān says in this connection:

مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ اللّهِ بَاقٍ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

What is with you vanishes and what is with Allāh will endure...

(Sura Al-Naml, 16, Verse 96)

The Holy Qur’ān says:

َإِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْقَصَصُ الْحَقُّ

Surely this is an account of Truth. (Sura Aal-Imran, 3, Verse 62)

Historical records tell us that after Mu'āwiya’s death, Yazīd, his invalid issue, occupied the station of caliphate and wrote to his governor in Madīna to force Imām al-Ĥusayn (‘a) among others to pay the oath of allegiance to him, or else execute him.

When the Imām (‘a) is asked to pay his oath of allegiance to Yazīd, he presents a rational exposition, worthy of consideration. He first introduces himself and then Yazīd, and thereafter says:

ِمثلى لا يبايع مثله

'My example [who it utterly submissive to Allāh] cannot give his hand to the like of Yazīd [who is an open sinner]"

In short, he ('a) says:

Premise 1: I am a manifestation of truth

Premise 2: Yazīd is a manifestation of falsehood

Premise 3:  A manifestation of truth cannot unite with a manifestation of falsehood

Conclusion: Hence I cannot agree to pay the oath of allegiance to him

The interesting point here is that the Imām ('a) does not merely say "I will not pay the oath of allegiance to Yazīd". Rather he says 'anyone like me ( mithlī) does not/cannot pay^[3] the oath of allegiance to anyone like Yazīd ( mithlahu)".

Therefore, this statement is not a personal issue, but a universal lesson for all times and all places. It is a direction for every truth-seeker and informs the wrongdoers that a truth-seeker will never yield to falsehood.

Thereafter Imām al-Ĥusayn ('a) resolves to leave Madina for Makka with his noble family members. This forms the basic anecdote of this short treatise. It is a move of truth towards Truth from the champion of truth ( ĥaqq) itself.

It is narrated in al-Irshād^[4] that:

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاء مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَى رَبِّي أَن يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ

And when he turned his face towards Midian he said: 'maybe my Lord will show me the right way.' (28:22)

This verse also pertains to Prophet Mūsā ('a) when he enters the city of Midian. Imam al-Ĥusayn ('a) by reciting the verse perhaps sought Divine help to carry out his mission of conveying his message and stance to all the Muslims of the world in the proper way. He seeks guidance so that he may fulfill his mission in the best possible manner. The decision taken by Imam (‘a) to come to Makka reveals his timely move and extreme astuteness. He would have gone to other places suggested by his companions, as a result of which he would be safe from the calamities and able to adopt a life of repose. However, he had a loftier mission, and the only way to carry out the same was to go to a place where he would get a global audience who would be able to communicate to their people the pathetic state of the government, so that every committed Muslim rises for the truth.

Chapter 2

Reasons Behind Imam al-Ĥusayn (‘a)’s move to Makka

If one were to carefully analyze the reason why the Imām (‘a) left for Makka, he/she would be able to understand the sanctity of the move.

Following are reflections about the same:

1. The Importance of a Global Platform:

In one of his historic statements Imām al-Ĥusayn (‘a) clearly says that the main reason behind his uprising (in whatever stage it may be) is to seek reform in the Muslim nation. Then he describes the path he would undertake to meet this aspiration^[6]:

أريد أن آمر بالمعروف وأنهى عن المنكر

‘I would like to invite towards good and shun the evil.’

In order for him to carry out this reform immediately, the best place togo to was Makka, where pilgrims from all over the Muslim worldwould come to perform 'Umra and Ĥajj. They would listen to hismessage, wake up, and relate the same to their people on their return.Historical records tell us that while in Makka, Muslims from differentcountries would come to Imām al-Ĥusayn ('a) day and night, and listento what he had to say.

2. Opposition Against Falsehood:

The flight of Imām al-Ĥusayn (‘a) reveals the Imam's liberated spirit.He never allowed himself to submit to any government that does notobey the laws of God. In fact it is a practical manifestation of ‘ Islām’(submission to the will of God). Submitting to every call of disbelief orpolytheism is to alienate from the path of utter submission to AlmightyAllāh. In Imām al-Ĥusayn (‘a)’s not surrendering to falsehood andremaining very steadfast in his stance, he taught every future humanbeing 'the lesson of steadfastness' by not submitting to falsehood and oppression. And this unwavering stance remained until the end of his ephemeral life.

3. Seeking Refuge in Allah

Imam al-Ĥusayn ('a)'s move to Makka also alludes to something highlyimportant. His flight to the Divine sanctity of safety, perhapsdemonstrated that his only refuge is Allāh in whose house there isalways safety:

فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا

In it are clear signs and whosoever enters therein is safe

(Sura Aal-Imran, 3: Verse 97)

Seeking refuge in the Divine sanctity, however, should transport us toa loftier meaning: one who really seeks refuge in Allāh is safe from allkinds of polytheism and oppression. It is not necessary for us to limitour understanding to the physical and tangible import of the verse.

The ' amn' and safety referred to in the verse, however, is a legislativedirection (tashrī') which creates responsibilities on the Muslim nation.In other words, Almighty Allah commands us to observe security in Hishouse. No one is allowed to shed blood there, no animal is to be injured,etc. But if some like Hajjāj bin Yūsuf al-Thaqafī, out of their disbelief,were to transgress the limits, they can endanger the lives of the like ofthe selfishly motivated 'Abdullah bin Zubayr who despite having soughtasylum in the holy precincts of the Ka'ba was killed therein.

However, ' amn' (safety) can also refer to seeking the shelter of 'one'sspirit' in Almighty Allah. This meaning can also be understood bylooking at some recommended supplications to be recited near theKa'ba:

اللهم إنك قلت ومن دخله كان آمنا فآمني من عذاب النار

O Allāh, surely You said " and whosoever enters therein he/she would be safe";therefore, save me from the punishment of Hell Fire."^[7]

Therefore, one who seeks the protection of his spirit from Almighty Allah would undoubtedly be safe from every calamity that would ruin his spiritual life. If his physical life were to be sold for an exalted aim, he would never lose. Instead he would attain a lofty station and eternal salvation.

If the leaders who govern Muslim nations of the world today were to understand and apply this lofty concept they would never assist terrorist regimes, whose evil nature is more apparent than ever today. Makka is a place where such thoughts must soak our hearts and minds, for indeed Muslims should undergo a new revolution. Every concerned Muslim should try to understand and heed to the call of Imām al-Ĥusayn ('a) which still echoes in the hearts and minds of the truth-seeking human beings:

فقد علمتم أن رسولله (ص) قد قل في حيته من رأى سلطانا جائرا مستحلا لحرم لله نا كثا لعهد لله مجالفا لسنة رسولله يعمل في عبد لله بالإثم والعدوان ثم لم يغير بقول و لا فعل كان حقيقا على لله أن يدخله مدخاله

Indeed you know that the Messenger of Allah (s) said during his lifetime: "Whoever observes a sovereign legalizing what God has made unlawful, violating the covenant of God, opposing the Sunnah of the Messenger of God, and treating the creatures of God sinfully and oppressively, and does not oppose him with his speech and action, God has a right to bring him to the same fate as that of the tyrant…"^[8]

ألا ترون أن الحق لا يعمل به و أن الباطل لا ينتهي عنه

"Don't you see that what is true and right is not acted upon and what is false and wrong is not forbidden?..." ^[9]

هل من ذاب يذب عن حرم رسولله

"Is there any protector do defend the sanctuary (haram) of the Messenger of Allāh?" ^[10]

Chapter 3

An Everlasting Instruction

In coming to Makka for Ĥajj we should not think that after performing the overt rites of Ĥajj we are absolved from our duties. Ĥajj is more then merely an individual worship. It is an act of devotion, whose multidimensional nature increases the responsibilities of the human being. If Muslims were to realize this and practically respond to the problems that they encounter today, they would surely rule the world and create an environment that would cater for eternal human felicity.

Ĥajj is beyond doubt an opportunity which can solve so many problems of the contemporary Muslims. To be oblivious of this opportunity would indeed be questionable on the Judgment day.

In the manner that Imam al-Hussain ('a) came to Makka to guide the

people of the world, we too have a similar responsibility, even though it may be limited. Muslims of the world need to be awakened from their deep slumber and realize the great danger that they presently confront. Living in places where there is freedom of worship and safety and being oblivious of what is happening to other Muslim brethren throughout the world, expels one from the Muslim nation. The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have said:

من أصبح لا يهتم بامور المسلمين فليس بمسلم

Whosoever wakes up in the morning and is indifferent of the affairs of Muslims is not a Muslim. ^[11]

من أصبح لا يهتم بامور المسلمين فليس منهم و من سمع رجلا ينادي يا المسلمين فلم يجبه فليس بمسلم

Whosoever wakes up in the morning and is indifferent of the affairs of Muslims is not among them, and whosoever hears a man call, 'O Muslims [come to my rescue!], but does not respond to him is not a Muslim.' ^[12]

As Imām al-Ĥusayn ('a) sought refuge in the Ĥaram, we likewise should do the same. But seeking refuge for us in the beginning would be to cleanse our tarnished soul with the water of repentance and seeking forgiveness from God, and resolve not to engage in any sin, so that we can practically say that we have sought refuge in Allāh (swt). Refuge in our case takes a different form. It depends on our circumstance.

And in the same way that Imām Ĥusayn ('a) never submitted to the forces of kufr, we likewise should inculcate this spirit in ourselves and others, and firmly resolve that till the last moments of our lives we would totally surrender to Almighty Allāh.

If Ĥajj does not contain the Ĥusaynī spirit, but is limited to its physical and overt acts of devotion, Muslims would never prosper. The presence of Imām al-Ĥusayn ('a), as has been the case, will always be felt. But so long as we do not make his foundational move, we would never prosper. The Holy Qur'ān says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ

O believers, respond to Allāh and His Apostle, when He calls you to that which will enliven you.

(Sura Al-Anfal, 8: Verse 24)

Isn't it time to respond to Allāh (swt)'s call?

Peace be upon you- O utterly obedient servant of Allah, O Doyen of Martyrs,

O Hussain, and on those who sacrificed their lives for your sake. I humbly pray

to Allah to enable us to be with you both in this world and the Hereafter. May

He unite us with your spirit in this world so that we are blessed and honored to

continue your mission, and may He resurrect us in the Hereafter in your noble

company.. All praises belong to Allah, the Lord of the Universe.

The Journey of Imam

al-Hussain (as)

Imam Hussain (as) sets out on his Journey

Al Hussain, the blessings of God be on him, set out from Mecca to Iraq on the day of Muslim's (attempted) rising in Kufa, that is the day of Tarwiya, after staying in Mecca for the rest of Shaban, the month of Ramadhan, Shawwal and Dhu al Qada and eight days of Dhu- al-Hijja in the year 60 A.H. (680). During his stay in Mecca, peace be on him, a number of Hijazis and Basrans had gathered around him, joining themselves to his household and his retainers (mawali).

When he determined on journeying to Iraq, he made the circumbulation of the (sacred) House and the ritual running between al-Safa and al-Marwa. Then he left the state of consecration (for the pilgrimage) (after) he had performed the lesser pilgrimage (umra) because he was not able to perform the greater pilgrimage (hajj). Through fear of being apprehended in Mecca, and being taken to Yazid b. Muiawiya, he, peace be on him, had set out early with his House, his sons and those of his Shi'a who had joined him.

[As it has been reported to us:]

News of Muslim's (capture and death) had not yet reached him because (it had only happened) on the day he set out.

[It is reported that al-Farazdaq, the poet, said:]

I made the pilgrimage with my mother in the year 60 A.H. (680). I was driving her camel when I entered the sanctuary. (There) I met al- Hussain b. Ali, peace be on them, leaving Mecca accompanied by (some men carrying) swords and shields.

"Whose caravan is this?" I asked.

"Al-Hussain b. Ali's, peace be on them," was the reply. So I went up and greeted him.

"May God grant you your request and (fulfil) your hope in what you want, by my father and mother, son of the Apostle of God," I said to him. "But what is making you hurry away from the pilgrimage?"

"If I did not hurry away, I would be apprehended," he replied. Then he asked me: "Who are you?"

"An Arab," I answered and he did not question me (about myself) any further.

"Tell me about the people you have left behind you," he asked.

"You have asked a good (question)," I answered. "The hearts of the people are with you but their swords are against you. The decision comes from Heaven and God does what he wishes."

"You have spoken truly of the affair belonging to God," he replied.

"Every day He (is involved) in (every) matter" (LV, 29) If fate sends down what we like and are pleased with, we praise God for His blessings. He is the One from Whom help should be sought in order to give thanks to Him. However, although fate may frustrate (our) hopes, yet He does not destroy (the souls of) those whose intention is the truth and whose hearts are pious."

"True, God brings you what you wish for (ultimately) and guards you against what you are threatened by," I said. Then I asked him about matters concerning vows and pilgrimage rites. He told me about them and then moved his mount off, saying farewell, and so we parted.

When al-Hussain b. Ali, peace be on them, left Mecca, Yahya b. Said b. al-'As met him with a group (of men). They had been sent to him by 'Amr b. Said.

"Come back from where you are going," they ordered. But he refused (to obey) them and continued. The two groups came to blows and hit at each other with whips. However al-Hussain and his followers resisted fiercely. Al-Hussain continued until he got to al- Tanim. There he met a camel-train which had come from Yemen. He hired from its people (additional) camels for himself and his followers to ride.

Then he said to the owners (of the camels): "Whoever (of you) wants to come with us to Iraq, we will pay his hire and enjoy his company and whoever wants to leave some way along the road we will pay his hire for the distance he has travelled."

Some of the people went with him but others refused. Abd Allah b. Jafar sent his sons, Awn and Muhammad, after him, and he wrote a letter to him which he gave to them. In it, he said:

I ask you before God (to return) if you have set out when you see my letter. For I am very concerned because the direction in which you are heading will have within it your destruction, and the extirpation of your House. If you are destroyed today, the light of the land will be extinguished; for you are the (standard) of those who are rightly-guided and the hope of the believers. Do not hurry on your journey as I am following this letter. Greetings.

Abd Allah, then went to 'Amr b. Sad and asked him to write to al-Hussain (offering him) a guarantee of security, and (promising) to favour him, so that he would return from where he was going. Amr b. Said wrote a letter in which he offered him favour and a guarantee of security for himself. He dispatched it with his brother Yahya b. Said. Yahya b. Said went after him (as did) Abd Allah after dispatching his sons. The two handed ('Amr's) letter to him and strove (to persuade) him to return.

"I have seen the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, in my sleep," answered (al-Hussain), "and he ordered me (to do) what I am carrying out."

"What was that vision?" they both asked.

"I have not told anyone of it," he answered, "and I am not going to tell anyone until I meet my Lord, the Mighty and Exalted."

When 'Abd Allah b. Ja'far despaired of (persuading) him, he told his sons, Awn and Muhammad, to stay with him, to go with him and to struggle on behalf of him. He returned with Yahya b. Sa'id to Mecca.

Al Hussain, peace be on him, pressed on swiftly and directly towards Iraq until he reached Dhat' Irq.

When Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad had learnt of the journey of al- Hussain, peace be on him, from Mecca to Kufa, he had sent al- Hussain b. Numayr, the commander of the bodyguard (shurta), to station himself at al-Qadisiyya and to set up a (protective) link of cavalry between the area of al-Qadisiyya to Khaffan and the area of al-Qadisiyya to al-Qutqutaniyya. He informed the men that al- Hussain was heading for Iraq.

When al-Hussain, peace be on him, reached al-Hajiz (a hill above) Batn al-Rumma, he sent Qays b. Mushir al Saydawi - some say it was his brother-in-nurture, Abd Allah b. Yuqtur to Kufa. For he, peace be upon him, had not yet learnt the news of (the fate of) Ibn 'Aqil. He sent a letter with him:

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate From al-Hussain b. Ali To his brother believers and Muslims, Greetings to you, I praise God before you, other than Whom there is no deity. Muslim b. Aqil's letter came to me, informing me of your sound judgement and the agreement of your leaders to support us, and to seek our rights. I have asked God to make your actions good and reward you with the greatest reward. I set out to you from Mecca on 8th of Dhu al-Hijja, the Day of Tarwiya. When my messenger reaches you, be urgent and purposeful in your affiars, for I am coming to you within the (next few) days. Greeting and the mercy and blessings of God.

Muslim had written to al-Hussain seventeen days before he was killed and the Kufans had written to him: "Here you have a hundred thousand swords. Do not delay."

Qays b. Mushir went towards Kufa with the letter. However, when he reached al-Qadisiyya, al-Hussain b. Numayr apprehended him and sent him to Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad.

"Go up on the pulpit," Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad ordered him, "and curse the liar, al-Hussain b. Ali, peace be on him"

Qays went up on the pulpit and praised and glorified God. Then he said:

People, this man, al-Hussain b. 'Ali the best of God's creatures, the son of Fatima, the daughter of the Apostle, may God bless him and his family and grant them peace, (is nearby). I am his messenger to you. Answer him.

Then he cursed Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad and his father and prayed for forgiveness for Ali b. Abi Talib and blessed him. 'Ubayd Allah ordered him to be thrown from the top of the palace. They threw him and he was smashed to pieces.

[It is (also) reported:]

He fell on the ground in chains and his bones were crushed and there only remained to him his last breath. A man called 'Abd al- Malik b. 'Umayr al-Lakhmi came to him and cut his throat. When he was told that that had been a shameful (thing to do) and he was blamed for it, he said: "I wanted to relieve him (of his suffering)."

The Continuation of the Journey

(While this had been going on) al-Hussain, peace be on him, had left Hajiz in the direction of Kufa until he came to one of the watering (places) of the Arabs. There there was 'Abd Allah b. Muti al-'Adawli, who was staying there. When he saw al-Hussain, peace be on him, he got up and said to him: "(May I ransom) my father and mother for you, son of the Apostle of God, what has brought you (here)?" He brought him (forward) and helped him to dismount.

"It is a result of the death of Muawiya as you would know," replied al Hussain, peace be on him. "The Iraqis have written to me urging me to (come to) them"

"I remind you, son of the Apostle of God, (of God) and the sacredness of Islam, lest it be violated. I adjure you before God (to think) about the sacredness of Quraysh. I adjure you before God (to think) about the sacredness of the Arabs. By God, if you seek that which is in the hands of Banu Umayya, they will kill you. If they kill you, they will never fear anyone after you. Then it will be the sacredness of Islam which is violated, and the sacredness of Quraysh and the sacredness of the Arabs. Don't do it! Don't go to Kufa! Don't expose yourself to Banu Umayya!"

Al-Hussain, peace be on him, insisted on continuing his journey. (In the meantime) 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad had ordered (the area) which was between Waqisa and the roads to Syria and Basra to be occupied (so that) they should not let anyone enter, nor anyone leave (Kufa).

However, al-Hussain, peace be on him, went on without knowing anything (of that) until he met some Arabs. He asked them (about the situation) and they told him: "No, by God, we don't know (anything about it) except that we cannot get into or out of (Kufa)."