Alive and Awakening for Ever

Morteza Afradian

 “Every dry and wet think shall flow away in the flood of death. However the name of Hussein ibn-e-Ali (AS) shall remain intact.”

The above-mentioned beautiful and meaningful phrase is a translation of an Urdu couplet into English. Certainly, no knowledgeable Muslim can ever doubt the truth of such statements about His Holiness Imam Hussein(AS), since Allah’s last Messenger - Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has announced: “Truly for the martyrdom of Hussein there is a fire lit in the heart of every faithful which (fire) will never be extinguished.”

Admittedly, to do at least a little justice to such a sublime topic requires a great deal of time and collective expert a scholarly efforts. Yet, with the help of Allah I intend to present a glass of life-giving water from the immense ocean of the love for Imam Hussein(AS) to you: The matchless self-sacrifice rendered by Imam Hussein(AS) in his struggle against the enemies of God ensured the survival of Divine humane values and principles in the world forever. Truly had it not been for Imam Hussein (AS)’s heroic combat against the brutal forces of the tyrant of his time who aided by thousands of rascals like himself aimed at uprooting  all Divine teachings and spreading corruption and injustice of all sorts and everywhere, today even the name of humanity would have been vanished from the world, let alone humane values and principles and Divine decrees.

 Likewise, morality owes the preservation of its nature,  concept and various manifestations to the self-sacrifice rendered by Imam Hussein(AS) and his faithful companions on  that eternally - remembered day - the day of Ashura in karbala, since obviously the enemies of God, including certainly the enemies of Imam Hussein(AS)  were (and are) the enemies of moral principles and values too. And obviously without Divine teachings, Humanity as a whole would be sure to sink and  perish.

Here, we quote a remark made by the architect of Islamic Revolution of Iran, Imam Khomeini (ra) “It has been but for the self-sacrifice made by Imam Hussein (AS) that Islam has been preserved.”

The master of Martyrs -  Imam Hussein(AS), will continue to be alive and awakening as long as Humanity exists in the world. No wonder about him, Allah’s last Messenger - Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has said: “Truly Hussein is the light of guidance and the Ark of salvation.” – May Allah guide all of us to board unto that Divine Ark.

Hazrat Zainab (SA) and Ashura

You could not find a person who is familiar with Karbala tragedy and has not heard of Hazrat Zainab (SA).  Hazrat Zainab (SA) was born to the most pious parents - Imam Ali (AS) and Hazrat Fatemah (SA), the Household of the Holy Prophet of  Islam. She was raised and educated by her mother who taught her offsprings what they needed to learn in order to become matchless heroes and heroines  in the great battlefield of the struggle between the forces of truth and falsehood, and to become leaders of humanity towards salvation.

Her Holiness, Zainab (SA)  learned from her Divinely-guided  mother how to nurse not only physical wounds and ailments, but also spiritual ones; how to treat and cure the wounds suffered by humanity and how to set lasting examples  for every truth-seeking human being, weather male or female, in  traversing the path illustrated by Allah’s Messengers throughout human history.  She became a model nurse, and indeed a model  leader. On the day of Ashura, in Karbala, more particularly after the martyrdom of her exalted brother - Imam Hussein (AS),  her Holiness  with the help of other ladies, nursed  and consoled the children,  the wounded and tormented in the caravan of captives of Karbala,  most patiently and affectionately while she herself was in great pain and  grief. She encouraged the warriors and sympathized with the injured.

 Hazrat Zainab (SA)’s clarity of language and choice of words to expound the mission of her brother in the court of the tyrant Yazid is rather unique. History is incapable of doing full justice to her sermons that ensured  eternity for the mission of Imam Hussein (AS). Scholars, pointing to a single phrase from her memorable sermon in the court of Damascus,  say that besides being an indicator of her firm faith, trust in God, sincerity of  purpose and dauntlessness under the most adverse circumstances,  it  shattered to pieces the power  and pride of Yazid. 

Her bold address to the seemingly proud caliph with the words: “Ain al-adl yabna at-tulaqa (O son of freed slaves)”    shook the very foundations of Umayyad rule and exposed its illegitimacy not only for the courtiers but for all generations to come. By her use of the word tulaqa (plural of taleeq or freed slave), Zainab (SA) was reminding the ruler how her grandfather -  the Prophet (PBUH) had on the day of the peaceful surrender of Mecca to Muslims, shown mercy toward the arch infidel Abu Sufyan (the grandfather of Yazid), his accused wife Hind and his equally criminal son Mu’awiyah (the father of Yazid) despite the fact that Hind had so savagely carved out the liver of the Prophet’s martyred uncle Hamza at the Battle of Ohod and tried to chew it. On the day of the liberation of Mecca, the Prophet had called Abu Sufyan, Mua’wiyah and their other idolatrous kinsmen tulaqa or freed slaves, and had spared their dirty lives by accepting their lip service to Islam.

 Historians say Hazrat Zainab (SA) inherited bravery,  honesty  and fluency in speech from her father Imam Ali(AS) and kindness and loyalty from her mother , Hazrat Fatimah (SA). She made great efforts in giving religious training to the women of her time who benefited from Hazrat Zainab (SA)’s  knowledge and teachings.  Hazrat Zainab (SA) spent her fruitful life in promoting monotheism and assuming divine responsibilities and her heroic participation in the greatest epic of history,  namely the uprising of Imam Hussein(AS) in Karbala brought her a lasting name. Hazrat Zainab (SA) conveyed the message of Imam Hussein(AS)’s   uprising to territories beyond Karbala.

She symbolized a shining sun which reflected light into everything.  Although Hazrat Zainab (SA) did not live long after the Karbala tragedy, she sowed the seeds of awareness in the entire Islamic society. This great lady passed away in 62 AH after she made lots of efforts in the path of truth,  Hazrat Zainab (SA) showed humanity how to be truthful torch-bearer of the truth, how to fight against falsehood and tyranny and how to convey the message of the truthful to the truth-seeking people.