Showing posts with label Muharram. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muharram. Show all posts
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
from resolution to revolution
When I attended the International Reverts Conference last month, I received as a gift a truly wonderful and amazing book, "from resolution to revolution - The Message of Ashura: Reflections on Religion, Ethics, Culture, Family, Youth and Citizenship" by Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini.
This book is a compilation of three years of Muharram lectures delivered by Sayed Al-Qazwini in the years 2005-2007. The lectures were designed for youth in the West and repeatedly address themes of challenges in the West, prayer, death, repentance, marriage, parenting, inter-gender relations, and self-reform. The part of the lectures which strictly relate the events around Ashura are not included, but the personalities and events are referenced as examples and guidance in each of the themes.
Each lecture is highly inspirational and readable and only around 10-15 pages. Sayed Al-Qazwini's approach is very uplifting and loving and calls upon the youth to recognize their worth and build self-respect. As he says in the first lecture, "When we respect ourselves, we will consider it beneath our honor to do any wrong actions." He is very empathetic to the struggles faced by all believers and has a way of delivering excellent advice with great gentleness. He properly emphasizes the Merciful and and Forgiving aspects of God without giving undue lightness to the effects of sin. Rather than simply admonish youth for possibly doing wrong things, he teaches the harm and damage to the self caused by sins and encourages the believers to protect themselves and one another from these dangers. He also powerfully illustrates the beauty of worship, good deeds, and building one's relationship with God and Ahlulbayt (as) - he helps fuel appetite and desire for drawing near and communing with God. He uses easily understandable, clear English and only minor and rare typographical errors are present in the text. The resulting book is great for Muslims and non-Muslims of all ages seeking moral guidance.
As I was reading this book, I often could not wait until the next time I could open it again and found myself underlining and starring passages regularly. I am eager to read it a second time. If you can find this book, it is an opportunity to fall in love with Islam again (or for the first time) and get some good direction and motivation for self-improvement. However, I am unfortunately not sure where to purchase this book. It was published in March 2011 by the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County http://www.iecoc.org with layout and design assistance by the Islamic Publishing House http://www.iph.ca, yet neither website currently lists the book for sale. I did find video/audio of some of the lectures, such as these: http://www.alulbayt.com/muh%201428/muharram%201428.htm .
The lectures serve as excellent examples of delivering the message of Ashura in a way that its modern and personal relevance is understood by Western youth. The transformative and uniting power of the lectures also show the importance of believers coming together for education and service for the revival of true Islam in the hearts. Without that internal revolution of our individual hearts, we as a community cannot become ready for the Imam of our Age (as, ajtf), who is awaiting us.
Friday, October 14, 2011
From Resolution to Revolution: The Message of Ashura by Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini
Muharram season is still about 6 weeks away, but I just received this book, and in interest of preparing for the season I thought I might read and make notes on some or all of it.
This book is a compilation of lectures made by Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini during the Muharram season for Western youth. The portions of the lectures which relay the history of Ashura are removed to avoid repetitiveness.
Part One is from lectures in London in 2005. Last night I read Chapter One, titled Dignity and Honor In this lecture, he tries to point out the honor of the human being. He notes that human life is sacred and sites the verses about not killing children due to poverty or other reasons, that Allah swt will provide for them. This did not particularly move me until he relayed a hadith from Imam Sadiq (as). In this hadith, a man complained to Imam (as) about being poor. The Imam instructed him to get married. "The man thought that perhaps the Imam did not understand that the reason why he was not married was because he was poor. However, the Imam understood his complaint the first time and again instructed the man to get married. The Imam was indicating to the man that God would provide him a better life for the sake of his wife and children if he gets married!" This just made me think that many times we create obstacles for ourselves that Allah swt did not impose upon us, and that many times the solution to our problems lies in hope and expectation for a good outcome and in keeping moving forward, trusting in God no matter what.
In the lecture, this subject was the introduction to the idea that human honor is from the Creator, but many people seek it in the wrong places. We think that honor comes from wealth or beauty, etc. He notes that, "The commercial tendency of society has conditioned a great number of people into believing one's value lies in their appearance and possessions.... Unfortunately, this sort of thinking is a fallacy and a trap designed to exploit the vulnerable. However, while this trend has spun out of control today, it is nothing new as it was also rampant among the hypocrites who claimed Islam but secretly fought the Prophet. 'When you look at them, their exteriors please you; and when they speak, you listen to their words. They are as (worthless as hollow) pieces of timber propped up (unable to stand on their own). 63:4' These hypocrites looked impressive...but they sank beneath the level of animals." This point is so true - especially women, but all of us, are so damaged by this conditioning and it is so pervasive that it is almost impossible to eradicate - it is so second-nature to who we are that we are not even aware of it in many cases and have no idea how to think differently. We inherently judge people by how they look, but just because someone looks great and talks eloquently does not mean his honor and message are better than someone else.
He then talks about a historical incident when a person complained that removing a person's fingers for wanton theft (not of out need) was against the honor of the human being. The complaint was to Sharif Al-Radi, who compiled Nahjul Balagha. His response was that the value of a human being was "in his soul, not his hands. As long as a person used his hands for honest deeds, they were invaluable." But once he used them for evil, they were worthless - it was the quality of the soul that gave them their value. This leads to what was for me the main point of the lecture that recognizing our honor is important to our self-development. He says it very well when he says that, "When we respect ourselves, we will consider it beneath our honor to do any wrong actions." This particular point was powerful to me. It shows that when we sin or commit doubtful acts, we are disrespecting ourselves and showing how little we value and think of ourselves. It shows we undervalue our worth while Allah swt does not undervalue it - Allah swt values us greater than we value ourselves! It also provides a means for us to improve ourselves.
By adopting this thinking, that doing wrong is beneath our honor as believers, we can find help in getting the will power to avoid sins. And the great thing is that this will power has a positive rather than negative source. Instead of saying, "I fear hell," which is true, but a negative motivation, this is a positive motivation, "I am better than this, or I am worth more than doing this." He goes on by talking about how honor is sincerity of our actions in doing them for God and gives examples from Karbala and he talks about the validity of crying for losses like the death of Imam Husain (as) even though it was a victory - it is part of our natural compassionate humanity that God made us to have and is part of the practice of the Prophet (saw) and Imams (sa). Insha'allah I will cross post this on the Muharram blog ( see side bar), and also post additional chapters there.
Part One is from lectures in London in 2005. Last night I read Chapter One, titled Dignity and Honor In this lecture, he tries to point out the honor of the human being. He notes that human life is sacred and sites the verses about not killing children due to poverty or other reasons, that Allah swt will provide for them. This did not particularly move me until he relayed a hadith from Imam Sadiq (as). In this hadith, a man complained to Imam (as) about being poor. The Imam instructed him to get married. "The man thought that perhaps the Imam did not understand that the reason why he was not married was because he was poor. However, the Imam understood his complaint the first time and again instructed the man to get married. The Imam was indicating to the man that God would provide him a better life for the sake of his wife and children if he gets married!" This just made me think that many times we create obstacles for ourselves that Allah swt did not impose upon us, and that many times the solution to our problems lies in hope and expectation for a good outcome and in keeping moving forward, trusting in God no matter what.
In the lecture, this subject was the introduction to the idea that human honor is from the Creator, but many people seek it in the wrong places. We think that honor comes from wealth or beauty, etc. He notes that, "The commercial tendency of society has conditioned a great number of people into believing one's value lies in their appearance and possessions.... Unfortunately, this sort of thinking is a fallacy and a trap designed to exploit the vulnerable. However, while this trend has spun out of control today, it is nothing new as it was also rampant among the hypocrites who claimed Islam but secretly fought the Prophet. 'When you look at them, their exteriors please you; and when they speak, you listen to their words. They are as (worthless as hollow) pieces of timber propped up (unable to stand on their own). 63:4' These hypocrites looked impressive...but they sank beneath the level of animals." This point is so true - especially women, but all of us, are so damaged by this conditioning and it is so pervasive that it is almost impossible to eradicate - it is so second-nature to who we are that we are not even aware of it in many cases and have no idea how to think differently. We inherently judge people by how they look, but just because someone looks great and talks eloquently does not mean his honor and message are better than someone else.
He then talks about a historical incident when a person complained that removing a person's fingers for wanton theft (not of out need) was against the honor of the human being. The complaint was to Sharif Al-Radi, who compiled Nahjul Balagha. His response was that the value of a human being was "in his soul, not his hands. As long as a person used his hands for honest deeds, they were invaluable." But once he used them for evil, they were worthless - it was the quality of the soul that gave them their value. This leads to what was for me the main point of the lecture that recognizing our honor is important to our self-development. He says it very well when he says that, "When we respect ourselves, we will consider it beneath our honor to do any wrong actions." This particular point was powerful to me. It shows that when we sin or commit doubtful acts, we are disrespecting ourselves and showing how little we value and think of ourselves. It shows we undervalue our worth while Allah swt does not undervalue it - Allah swt values us greater than we value ourselves! It also provides a means for us to improve ourselves.
By adopting this thinking, that doing wrong is beneath our honor as believers, we can find help in getting the will power to avoid sins. And the great thing is that this will power has a positive rather than negative source. Instead of saying, "I fear hell," which is true, but a negative motivation, this is a positive motivation, "I am better than this, or I am worth more than doing this." He goes on by talking about how honor is sincerity of our actions in doing them for God and gives examples from Karbala and he talks about the validity of crying for losses like the death of Imam Husain (as) even though it was a victory - it is part of our natural compassionate humanity that God made us to have and is part of the practice of the Prophet (saw) and Imams (sa). Insha'allah I will cross post this on the Muharram blog ( see side bar), and also post additional chapters there.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas and Ashura
"When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings with toys at Christmas, why are we not grateful to God for filling our stocking with legs?" G K Chesterton
And today, many are not even grateful for their gifts from others, but instead evaluate and compare those gifts against some sense of entitlement. But what are we truly entitled to in this world? Has God promised us even another breath? And even if He did, is it because we are entitled to that breath, or because it is a gift?
While I have not been making the longer drive to the north Denver area for Muharram services, I of course have not failed to notice that it is Muharram, and that Christmas and Ashura are two days apart this year. I know many far surpass me in their piety and their religious observance, but for whatever reasons I have needed seclusion and do not feel up to the nearly four-hour daily commute going to Denver would entail.
I have written about Muharram and what it means to us, what it enjoins on us, etc., many times. And I still feel I don't know hardly anything about that topic. I cannot weigh or measure the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as), and therefore I cannot weigh or measure my debt. But I feel I have a great debt, for my personal benefit at the price of that sacrifice is potentially exceedingly great. The least I can do is acknowledge the debt and to try not to waste the gift of sacrifice for truth.
Many Christians believe that al-Masih, Jesus Christ (as), made a great sacrifice for humanity, but now they acknowledge his birth, albeit in largely pre-Christian traditions, consumerism, and more consumerism. While Muslims do not believe Jesus (as) was crucified, we do believe he lived his life in complete submission to God, annihilating his own personal will and whims within the will of God. He was and remains a supreme, immaculate instrument of God, like Imam Husain (as), and all the Imams and Prophets (sa). We are all indebted to him, as well, for his struggle in the way of truth.
Every godly person who struggles for truth and preserves a measure of it does a noble thing, a thing that may help countless others. What is Christmas Spirit? What are the lessons of Karbala? Isn't there a call to self-sacrifice, to become more than a taker, a user? I go to work and listen to teenagers speak day after day and go home and hear more people speak on television or Internet, and most of us are all about ourselves. We feel entitled. We feel we know more than others. We feel we should be special. We feel we should have easy lives and abundance. If some misfortune befalls us, we feel personally affronted or wronged. If all we are is a sea of people, each obsessed with himself, what a waste! Is there no more point to life than personal gratification? Who cares if I am gratified or he is gratified or she is? Especially when most gratification comes with a cost, paid by others.
I don't know what self-sacrifice for truth, for right, looks like for you or me, but we've seen it in our prophets and guides. But one thing I understand is that we should be grateful. To God. To our families. To the Prophets (sa). To the Imams (sa). To Jesus (as), to Imam Husain (as). To people who smile at us, to people who try to teach us, to people who pick up our garbage, to people who try to cure us,to almost anyone we meet.
In wishing all who would want it a Merry Christmas, what I really wish is well-being, peace, guidance, and appreciation. And in condoling the mourners over the disgusting murder of holy and sincere servants of God, what I really wish is for none of us to oppress another, to cause another to shed tears, or to take another for granted.
And today, many are not even grateful for their gifts from others, but instead evaluate and compare those gifts against some sense of entitlement. But what are we truly entitled to in this world? Has God promised us even another breath? And even if He did, is it because we are entitled to that breath, or because it is a gift?
While I have not been making the longer drive to the north Denver area for Muharram services, I of course have not failed to notice that it is Muharram, and that Christmas and Ashura are two days apart this year. I know many far surpass me in their piety and their religious observance, but for whatever reasons I have needed seclusion and do not feel up to the nearly four-hour daily commute going to Denver would entail.
I have written about Muharram and what it means to us, what it enjoins on us, etc., many times. And I still feel I don't know hardly anything about that topic. I cannot weigh or measure the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as), and therefore I cannot weigh or measure my debt. But I feel I have a great debt, for my personal benefit at the price of that sacrifice is potentially exceedingly great. The least I can do is acknowledge the debt and to try not to waste the gift of sacrifice for truth.
Many Christians believe that al-Masih, Jesus Christ (as), made a great sacrifice for humanity, but now they acknowledge his birth, albeit in largely pre-Christian traditions, consumerism, and more consumerism. While Muslims do not believe Jesus (as) was crucified, we do believe he lived his life in complete submission to God, annihilating his own personal will and whims within the will of God. He was and remains a supreme, immaculate instrument of God, like Imam Husain (as), and all the Imams and Prophets (sa). We are all indebted to him, as well, for his struggle in the way of truth.
Every godly person who struggles for truth and preserves a measure of it does a noble thing, a thing that may help countless others. What is Christmas Spirit? What are the lessons of Karbala? Isn't there a call to self-sacrifice, to become more than a taker, a user? I go to work and listen to teenagers speak day after day and go home and hear more people speak on television or Internet, and most of us are all about ourselves. We feel entitled. We feel we know more than others. We feel we should be special. We feel we should have easy lives and abundance. If some misfortune befalls us, we feel personally affronted or wronged. If all we are is a sea of people, each obsessed with himself, what a waste! Is there no more point to life than personal gratification? Who cares if I am gratified or he is gratified or she is? Especially when most gratification comes with a cost, paid by others.
I don't know what self-sacrifice for truth, for right, looks like for you or me, but we've seen it in our prophets and guides. But one thing I understand is that we should be grateful. To God. To our families. To the Prophets (sa). To the Imams (sa). To Jesus (as), to Imam Husain (as). To people who smile at us, to people who try to teach us, to people who pick up our garbage, to people who try to cure us,to almost anyone we meet.
In wishing all who would want it a Merry Christmas, what I really wish is well-being, peace, guidance, and appreciation. And in condoling the mourners over the disgusting murder of holy and sincere servants of God, what I really wish is for none of us to oppress another, to cause another to shed tears, or to take another for granted.
Monday, February 23, 2009
ziarat rasool (pbuh&hf)
O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad. In th name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful. I testify that there is no god save Allah; He is One; there is no associate (partner)with Him. I testify that you are His Messenger, and you are Muhammad son of Abdullah; and I testify that you had delivered the Message of your Lord, advised and warned your followers (Ummah) like a sincere friend, and strived, leaving no stone unturned, against heavy odds, in the cause of Allah, with wisdom and good advice. Strong and powerful support from the Truthful (Allah), was put at your disposal; (and) you had been kind and compassionate to the believers, (but) was harsh with the disbelievers, and had sincerely served Allah, till the inevitable (what was certain) came unto you. So Allah made you reach the highest stage of glory and honour. (All) praise is for Allah (only) who saved us through you from the polytheism and going astray.
O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on his children.
Thy blessings and invocations of thy Angels, (of) Thy Prophets and Messengers, (of) Thy pious servants, (of) the people of the heavens and the earths, and (of) those who glorify Thee, (O the Lord of the worlds), from among the ancient and the present, be on Muhammad, Thy servant and Messenger, Thy Prophet, Thy confidant, Thy volunteer, Thy intimate friend, sincerely attached to Thee, purified by Thee, Thy favourite, the best essence from Thee, chosen in preference by Thee from Thy creation, and gave him surpassing superiority and eminence in wisdom and character, subtle ways and means, highest stations, and put him on the pedestal of (praiseworthy) fame and fortune; found his position enviable the men of old and the men of later time. O Allah, Thou said: “And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but come unto you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and asked forgiveness of the Messenger, they would have found Allah forgiving, Merciful.” O my Allah, therefore I turn repentant to Thy Prophet (S.A.), asking pardon for my sins, (so send blessing on Muhammad and on his children), and be kind to me. O our chief, direct yourself, and your “Ahluh Bayt” towards the Most praised Allah, Thy Lord and my Lord, in the matter of my request
Recite 3 times:
for verily we are Allah’s and verily unto Him shall we return.
Then recite:
With love and longing for you, we move, O dearest friend, in your direction, because the misery has increased, since revelation (Wahi) has been cut off, and we lost you. Verify we are Allah’s; and verily unto Him shall we return.
O our Chief! O our Messenger of Allah! Blessings of Allah be on you and on the pure and pious people of your house.
Today is Saturday, your day, and I in its hours, take refuge with you ; seek your nearness, (so) receive me with open arms, let me be near you, because you are very kind, love to be hospitable, chosen and assigned to give asylum and refuge, (therefore) make me feel at home, a most generous friendly welcome, take us under your shelter, a most reliable protection; in the name and for the sake of your belief in Allah, and your Ahlul Bayt’s belief in Him, and the status He has assigned to them, whereby you (all) took into your keeping His Wisdom, Verily He is the most kind of all who show kindness.
O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Ziyarat Arbaeen - Feb. 16 2009
Why Arba'een?
Significance of Arba'een and the Performance of the Ziyarat of Arba'een
Imam Hasan Al-Askari (a.s.) includes the performance of Ziyarat-e-Arba’een as one of the five marks for a believer, in addition to reciting 51 raka of sala, audible recitation of Bismillah, wearing a ring on one’s right hand, and doing sajda on dust. (This hadith has been narrated by Sheikh Tusi in the book Tahthib).
Why is so much importance given to the performance of the Ziyarat of Arba’een and the observance of Arba’een (40 days of mourning)?
Ziyarat, as we all know is a visitation, which in essence, is the act of speaking with and visiting our role models. Of course the physical manifestation of the ziyarat is actually being present in Kerbala to perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een, but, in reality, that is not possible for every believer. So does making ziyarat while not in Kerbala give one the same benefits? Ahadith tell us that performing the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (a.s.) far from Kerbala would hold the same significance as being in the land of Kerbala, as long as the person performing the Ziyarat has truly understood the status of the Imam and seeks to emulate him.
Imam Muhamed al-Baqir (a.s.) states that the heavens wept over Imam Hussain (a.s.) for forty mornings, rising red and setting red. As we complete 40 days of remembrance of our Imam, we re-assert our pledge of obedience and loyalty to him,
“I bear witness that you are the Imam (who is) the upright, the pious, well-pleased (with Allah), the pure, the guide and the rightly-guided.
I bear witness that you fulfilled the pledge of Allah and you struggled in His way…I am a friend of whoever befriends him ...”
By performing the Ziyarat of Arba’een, we pledge that we will continue to follow the path of justice and righteousness and will reject injustice and speak up against the oppressors of the time,
I am an enemy of whoever is his enemy
In essence, we make a promise to continue to mold our lives according to the teaching of Imam Hussain (a.s.).
But why is it that we mourn and remember Imam Hussain (a.s.) for a period of forty days and then move on?
Our Prophet has said, “The earth mourns the death of a believer for forty mornings.” Therefore it appears that the deceased should be remembered and mourned over for a period of forty days. Performing an act for a continuous period of forty days is also known to help one to not just form a habit, but also to carry on the practice for the rest of his life.
If we look at studies dealing with bringing a lifestyle change, we notice the time period emphasized to bring about a change is usually 6 weeks which is about the same time period as 40 days (to be exact it is 42 days).
In the book 40 Days to Personal Revolution: A Breakthrough Program to Radically Change Your Body and Awaken the Sacred Within Your Soul, the author Baron Baptiste explains the significance of forty days:
Why forty days? Because the number 40 holds tremendous spiritual significance in the realm of transformation. Jesus wandered in the desert for forty days in order to experience purification and come to a greater understanding of himself and his mission. Moses and his people traveled through the desert for forty years before arriving at their home in the holy land. Noah preserved the sacredness of life by sailing his ark for forty days and forty nights. According to the Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical text, it takes forty days to ingrain any new way of being into our system….
Reciting particular duas for a period of 40 days is highly recommended in our practices as well.
The unit 40 (forty) is said to be very effective. If a particular Duaa is recited 40 times, or 40 people gather to recite it, or it is recited for 40 days then its effectiveness is highly increased. (Duas.org)
It is reported from Imam Ja'fer Sadiq (a.s.) that whoever recites Dua-e-Ahad for forty days, after morning prayers will be amongst the helpers of the 12th Imam (a). Visitation of the shrine of Imam Hussain (a.s.) as well as Masjid-e-Sahla for 40 consecutive Thursdays is also very highly recommended and is one of the acts that promises a visit from the 12th Imam (ajtf).
Thus, as we perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een and commemorate the Arba’een, 40 days of mourning of Imam Hussain (a.s.), we hope and pray that this forty days of remembrance of Imam Hussain (a.s.), brings about a transformation in us by which we can continue to follow the path of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and carry on his message of upholding justice with true faith and a strong sense of sacrifice!
Refs:
A’maal of Muharram and Safar (Tayyiba Publishers)
Kerbala and Beyond by Yasin T. Al-Jabouri
The Miracle of Ziyarat-e-Ashoora
Commentary on Ziyarat Ashura, translated by Saleem Bhimji from the work of Ali Asghar Azizi Tehrani
Kitab al-Irshad, translated by IKA Howard, authored by Sheikh Al-Mufeed
(from duas.org)
Peace be on the favourite of Allah, Peace be on the beloved friend of Allah, His distinguished hero! Peace be on the choicest confidant of Allah, sincerely attached precisely like his father! Peace be on Husayn, who gave his life in the way of Allah, a martyr, underwent untold hardships Peace be on the hostage surrounded by the-tightening circle of sorrow and grief, killed by a horde of savages.
O my Allah I give witness that beyond a shadow of doubt he is Thy favourite and choicest confidant, who enjoys Thy confidence and favour, precisely like his father!
Thou looked upto him and elected him in Thy cause, picked and chose him for the good fortune, selected for him the best purified parents, appointed him guardian, leader, and defender of rights, a true representative (inheritor and progenitor) of guardians, leaders and defenders of rights, gave him much and more from the inheritance of the Prophets, put him forward as a decisive argument, along with the other successors (of the Holy Prophet-the twelve lmams) to the mankind. He met with deadly dangers, acted justly and fairly, made use of everything belonging to him to pay full attention to give sincere advice, took pains, made every effort and put his heart, mind, soul and life at the disposal of Thy mission to liberate the people from the yoke of ignorance and evil of bewilderment, but an evildoer, deceived with empty hopes of mean and worthless worldly gains, had pressed heavily on him, and sold out his share (eternal bliss) for the meanest and lowest bargain, betrayed his "day of judgement" for a vulgar return, took pride in insolence, fell into the fathom- well of silly stupid follies, provoked Thee and Thy Prophet to anger, did as the harsh discordant, the hypocrite, the heavily burdened bearers of sin, condemned to Hellfire, advised to him, however, he (the Holy lmam), steadily, rightly and justly coped With them, till, in Thy obedience, gave his life after which his family was set adrift.
O my Allah, therefore, condemn them to hell as a denunciation and conviction; and crack-down on them with a painful Punishment. Peace be on you O the son of the Messenger of Allah! Peace be on you O the son of the first of the successors (of the Holy Prophet)! I bear witness that Allah put faith in you like He had full confidence in your father, and that you always looked for and collected good and virtue, lived a highly praiseworthy life and departed from this world a martyr, forsaken and abused; I bear witness that Allah will promptly fulfill the promise, He made to you, and destroy those who left you helpless and punish those who killed you; I bear witness that you kept your promise made with Allah, and strived in His way till what was certain came upon you, so curse of Allah be an those who killed you, curse of Allah be on those who oppressed you, curse of Allah be on the people who came to know and approved.
O my Allah be my witness that I make friends with those who love him and oppose those who deny him. I, my father and mother, are at your disposal 0 the son of the Messenger of Allah. I know and bear witness that you were "light" in the sublime loins and in the pure wombs, never touched you the dirt of ignorance, nor ever obscurity concealed you in its folds; I bear witness that you are the pillar of "Deen", support of the Muslims, refuge of the faithfuls; I bear witness that you are a truthful, well-aware, content, intelligent, rightly guided guide (Imam); I bear witness that the Imams among your descendants are the symbols of "conscious piety" and signs of "true guidance", the "safe handle"-Islam, and the decisive arguments over mankind; I declare positively that I have full faith in you and I know for certain that you shall return. I am, fully committed to the laws of my religion, certain of my deeds, my mind and heart ready for your return, and my affairs carried out in the light of your instructions, till Allah gives you permission, together with you, along with you, not at the same time with your enemies. Blessings of Allah be on you, on your souls, on your bodies when you are visible, when you are invisible, on your perceivable aspects, on your innermost genius be it so, O Lord of the worlds
Significance of Arba'een and the Performance of the Ziyarat of Arba'een
Imam Hasan Al-Askari (a.s.) includes the performance of Ziyarat-e-Arba’een as one of the five marks for a believer, in addition to reciting 51 raka of sala, audible recitation of Bismillah, wearing a ring on one’s right hand, and doing sajda on dust. (This hadith has been narrated by Sheikh Tusi in the book Tahthib).
Why is so much importance given to the performance of the Ziyarat of Arba’een and the observance of Arba’een (40 days of mourning)?
Ziyarat, as we all know is a visitation, which in essence, is the act of speaking with and visiting our role models. Of course the physical manifestation of the ziyarat is actually being present in Kerbala to perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een, but, in reality, that is not possible for every believer. So does making ziyarat while not in Kerbala give one the same benefits? Ahadith tell us that performing the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (a.s.) far from Kerbala would hold the same significance as being in the land of Kerbala, as long as the person performing the Ziyarat has truly understood the status of the Imam and seeks to emulate him.
Imam Muhamed al-Baqir (a.s.) states that the heavens wept over Imam Hussain (a.s.) for forty mornings, rising red and setting red. As we complete 40 days of remembrance of our Imam, we re-assert our pledge of obedience and loyalty to him,
“I bear witness that you are the Imam (who is) the upright, the pious, well-pleased (with Allah), the pure, the guide and the rightly-guided.
I bear witness that you fulfilled the pledge of Allah and you struggled in His way…I am a friend of whoever befriends him ...”
By performing the Ziyarat of Arba’een, we pledge that we will continue to follow the path of justice and righteousness and will reject injustice and speak up against the oppressors of the time,
I am an enemy of whoever is his enemy
In essence, we make a promise to continue to mold our lives according to the teaching of Imam Hussain (a.s.).
But why is it that we mourn and remember Imam Hussain (a.s.) for a period of forty days and then move on?
Our Prophet has said, “The earth mourns the death of a believer for forty mornings.” Therefore it appears that the deceased should be remembered and mourned over for a period of forty days. Performing an act for a continuous period of forty days is also known to help one to not just form a habit, but also to carry on the practice for the rest of his life.
If we look at studies dealing with bringing a lifestyle change, we notice the time period emphasized to bring about a change is usually 6 weeks which is about the same time period as 40 days (to be exact it is 42 days).
In the book 40 Days to Personal Revolution: A Breakthrough Program to Radically Change Your Body and Awaken the Sacred Within Your Soul, the author Baron Baptiste explains the significance of forty days:
Why forty days? Because the number 40 holds tremendous spiritual significance in the realm of transformation. Jesus wandered in the desert for forty days in order to experience purification and come to a greater understanding of himself and his mission. Moses and his people traveled through the desert for forty years before arriving at their home in the holy land. Noah preserved the sacredness of life by sailing his ark for forty days and forty nights. According to the Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical text, it takes forty days to ingrain any new way of being into our system….
Reciting particular duas for a period of 40 days is highly recommended in our practices as well.
The unit 40 (forty) is said to be very effective. If a particular Duaa is recited 40 times, or 40 people gather to recite it, or it is recited for 40 days then its effectiveness is highly increased. (Duas.org)
It is reported from Imam Ja'fer Sadiq (a.s.) that whoever recites Dua-e-Ahad for forty days, after morning prayers will be amongst the helpers of the 12th Imam (a). Visitation of the shrine of Imam Hussain (a.s.) as well as Masjid-e-Sahla for 40 consecutive Thursdays is also very highly recommended and is one of the acts that promises a visit from the 12th Imam (ajtf).
Thus, as we perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een and commemorate the Arba’een, 40 days of mourning of Imam Hussain (a.s.), we hope and pray that this forty days of remembrance of Imam Hussain (a.s.), brings about a transformation in us by which we can continue to follow the path of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and carry on his message of upholding justice with true faith and a strong sense of sacrifice!
Refs:
A’maal of Muharram and Safar (Tayyiba Publishers)
Kerbala and Beyond by Yasin T. Al-Jabouri
The Miracle of Ziyarat-e-Ashoora
Commentary on Ziyarat Ashura, translated by Saleem Bhimji from the work of Ali Asghar Azizi Tehrani
Kitab al-Irshad, translated by IKA Howard, authored by Sheikh Al-Mufeed
(from duas.org)
Peace be on the favourite of Allah, Peace be on the beloved friend of Allah, His distinguished hero! Peace be on the choicest confidant of Allah, sincerely attached precisely like his father! Peace be on Husayn, who gave his life in the way of Allah, a martyr, underwent untold hardships Peace be on the hostage surrounded by the-tightening circle of sorrow and grief, killed by a horde of savages.
O my Allah I give witness that beyond a shadow of doubt he is Thy favourite and choicest confidant, who enjoys Thy confidence and favour, precisely like his father!
Thou looked upto him and elected him in Thy cause, picked and chose him for the good fortune, selected for him the best purified parents, appointed him guardian, leader, and defender of rights, a true representative (inheritor and progenitor) of guardians, leaders and defenders of rights, gave him much and more from the inheritance of the Prophets, put him forward as a decisive argument, along with the other successors (of the Holy Prophet-the twelve lmams) to the mankind. He met with deadly dangers, acted justly and fairly, made use of everything belonging to him to pay full attention to give sincere advice, took pains, made every effort and put his heart, mind, soul and life at the disposal of Thy mission to liberate the people from the yoke of ignorance and evil of bewilderment, but an evildoer, deceived with empty hopes of mean and worthless worldly gains, had pressed heavily on him, and sold out his share (eternal bliss) for the meanest and lowest bargain, betrayed his "day of judgement" for a vulgar return, took pride in insolence, fell into the fathom- well of silly stupid follies, provoked Thee and Thy Prophet to anger, did as the harsh discordant, the hypocrite, the heavily burdened bearers of sin, condemned to Hellfire, advised to him, however, he (the Holy lmam), steadily, rightly and justly coped With them, till, in Thy obedience, gave his life after which his family was set adrift.
O my Allah, therefore, condemn them to hell as a denunciation and conviction; and crack-down on them with a painful Punishment. Peace be on you O the son of the Messenger of Allah! Peace be on you O the son of the first of the successors (of the Holy Prophet)! I bear witness that Allah put faith in you like He had full confidence in your father, and that you always looked for and collected good and virtue, lived a highly praiseworthy life and departed from this world a martyr, forsaken and abused; I bear witness that Allah will promptly fulfill the promise, He made to you, and destroy those who left you helpless and punish those who killed you; I bear witness that you kept your promise made with Allah, and strived in His way till what was certain came upon you, so curse of Allah be an those who killed you, curse of Allah be on those who oppressed you, curse of Allah be on the people who came to know and approved.
O my Allah be my witness that I make friends with those who love him and oppose those who deny him. I, my father and mother, are at your disposal 0 the son of the Messenger of Allah. I know and bear witness that you were "light" in the sublime loins and in the pure wombs, never touched you the dirt of ignorance, nor ever obscurity concealed you in its folds; I bear witness that you are the pillar of "Deen", support of the Muslims, refuge of the faithfuls; I bear witness that you are a truthful, well-aware, content, intelligent, rightly guided guide (Imam); I bear witness that the Imams among your descendants are the symbols of "conscious piety" and signs of "true guidance", the "safe handle"-Islam, and the decisive arguments over mankind; I declare positively that I have full faith in you and I know for certain that you shall return. I am, fully committed to the laws of my religion, certain of my deeds, my mind and heart ready for your return, and my affairs carried out in the light of your instructions, till Allah gives you permission, together with you, along with you, not at the same time with your enemies. Blessings of Allah be on you, on your souls, on your bodies when you are visible, when you are invisible, on your perceivable aspects, on your innermost genius be it so, O Lord of the worlds
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
For Muharram
Al-Serat
The Imam Husayn's Concepts of Religion and Leadership
S.H.M Jafri
Vol XI No. 1
ONLY now and again does there arise above the common level some rare spirit, who, having looked upon God face to face [metaphorically speaking!], reflects more clearly the divine purpose, and puts into practice more courageously the divine guidances. The light of such a man shines like a strong beacon on a dark and disordered world. Our concepts of human values, human dignity and human freedom are better understood today because there has come into its life, among others, a personality that is a flame of God. His suffering embodies the pride of mankind, and in his sacrifice is reflected the eternal patience of man's greatness. An intrepid spirit, an impregnable will-power, and a superhuman passion for truth and justice are his main characteristics. And that man is Husayn b. 'Ali, the grandson of the Prophet of Islam. He presents to us the purest, the most elevating and the most inspiring ideal known to man. He is the one who taught man that death is not worse than a dishonourable life. He showed the world the real meaning of religion and the function of the leaders of mankind.
Religion as such is as old as man himself and is an inseparable part of his history, and therefore it has always been an object of deliberation, speculation, interpretation and also of rejection and criticism. From its earliest form of animism, nature-worship or totemism to that of its purest form of monotheism, religion in its broadest sense symbolizes and articulates society's most basic values and commitments. Moreover, there is the elemental urge in man not only to live, but to live nobly. When our passion for noble living receives cosmic backing, we have the peculiar ardour of religion. There is no one who does not raise at some time or other these fundamental questions: What am I? What is my origin? What is my destiny?
Religion is based on the discovery of the essential worth and dignity of the individual and his relation to a higher world of reality. When the human being perceives that he belongs to an order of reality higher than brute nature, he cannot be satisfied by worldly success or materialistic achievements. That he is capable of martyrdom for ideals shows that he lives in and for a world of eternal realities. Worship is man's reach out to the divine. Religion is the discipline which touches the conscience and helps us to struggle with evil and sordidness, saves us from greed, lust and hatred, releases moral power, and imparts courage in the enterprise of saving man from his inordinate desires. As a discipline of the mind, it contains the key and the essential means of coping with evil which threatens not only the dignity of man but his very existence. It implies the submission of our thinking and conduct to eternal truth. In its essence, religion is a summons to spiritual adventure. It is not theology, but practice and discipline. It is the only remedy for a pride of spirit which has divorced itself from the eternal; when the human spirit defies its sources and conditions and claims absolute self-sufficiency, it becomes insane and suicidal. To restore the lost relationship between the individual and the eternal is the purpose of religion. It is this basic and fundamental relationship which alone can bring ease and harmony in man's relationship with God, with himself, with his fellow man or with the society in which he lives, and with nature. If the relationship between the individual and the sole Creator is broken, the entire fabric of peaceful and meaningful human life will be broken. It is this harmony which religions serve to establish, Islam being the last of them.
Islam means peace as well as submission to the will of God and this is the essence of the Islamic concept of religion. The submission to God in Islam implies, in attitude and action, a regulation of our lives. God, according to Islam, is not a dogma but an ideal and a regulative force in life, and a guarantee of our highest values. Thus, the submission to God, the 'Ideal', with a firm belief in its reality, is a life both of virtue and inner happiness. A man who submits himself to God is true to his real self and, therefore, attains inner peace, which is real happiness, and quite different from worldly pleasures. This happiness more than compensates for any lack of material gain, or for physical pain and suffering.
It is with this concept of religion in general and Islam in particular that we should try to understand how the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, the Imam Husayn b. 'Ali, explains the meaning of religion and the function of religious leadership. The question of the leadership of mankind is the oft- repeated topic of the Qur'an. Whenever the Qur'an talks about divine guidance it also points out those who are entitled to guide. The Qur'anic terms for leaders of mankind are rasul, nabi and imam. The first two are specific terms, whereas the word imam is used in a rather general sense for those who are endowed with the special qualities with which they can lead others to righteousness and good deeds. Thus, for example, we read in the Qur'an that when Abraham, the patriarch of the prophets was told by God 'Behold, I make you an imam (leader) of the people', he asked: 'And what about my offspring?' God replied: 'My covenant will not go to evildoers.' Thus an imam, or leader, of the people is one who leads the people in all cases of conscience, keeps the covenant of God remembered and the teaching of the Prophets alive and effective. He is to protect the religio- ethical message delivered by the messenger of God from being corrupted and changed, and to save it from the reactionary forces which emerge from time to time.
The Message of the Prophet of Islam passed into the hands of the worldly Umayyads within thirty years of his death. After the death of 'Ali in 40/661, Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan appropriated the office of the leadership of the community for himself through the use of force and deceit and ruled the Muslims for twenty years. On Mu'awiya's death, his son Yazid assumed the role of the leadership of the Muslims as the caliph in accordance with the former's unprecedented testament. Yazid's anti-Islamic behaviour and openly irreligious practices were well known throughout the Muslim world and earned for him contempt and disfavour, especially among those who cared for Islamic religio-ethical values. An embodiment of all sorts of vice, tyranny, injustice, oppression and despotic rule, Yazid wanted Husayn to pay him homage as the leader of the Muslim community and submit himself to his authority. That was the crucial point in Islamic history when the meaning of religion had to be reasserted and the function of leadership redefined. This was done by Husayn b. 'Ali with the most effective method of sacrifice, suffering and martyrdom. In reply to the letters written by the people of Iraq inviting him to come to Kufa to take up their leadership, as they had no imam other than him, Husayn wrote to them:
From Husayn b. Ali to the believers and Muslims [of Iraq]: You have invited me to come to you because you have no imam to guide you, and that you hope my arrival there will unite you in the right path and in the truth. You must be clear about the fact that the imam can only be one who follows the Book of God, makes justice and honesty his conduct and behaviour, judges with truth, and devotes himself to the service of God.
In response to the invitation of the people of Basra, Husayn replied:
. . . I have sent my messenger to you and I call you to the Book of God, and the sunna of his Prophet, the sunna which has become obliterated; innovations have become active and energetic. If you listen to me and obey my orders, I will guide you to the right path. May the peace and mercy of God be upon you.
There is space here only to give these two quotations from numerous such statements which Husayn made from the time he left Medina till his martyrdom about six months later. These quotations are by themselves a complete explanation of Husayn's approach to the question of leadership as well as of the function of religion in society. They also explain the duties of an imeim and the nature of the Imamate which was so distorted at this point in Islamic history.
The main points which emerge from them are: (i) that an imam is one who unites the people; (ii) that he should lead them to the right path and to truth; (iii) that the Qur'an, as the Book of God, is an eternal truth, and the duty of the imam is to follow its model, and conduct his life according to the will of God; (iv) that the imam must make justice and honesty the cornerstones of his life; (v) that truth in its most universal and absolute form must be his only criterion; (vi) and that he must devote himself to the service of God.
The functions of the imam enumerated here are both particular and universal, descriptive and normative, and primary and evaluative; they can be applied in every society, time and epoch. They are particular, descriptive and normative when read strictly in the context of Islam, and are universal, primary and evaluative if read in their general meaning which embraces all religions and the whole of humanity. The key terms in Husayn's declarations are: the unity of people (which is basically a unity of purpose), the right path, truth, justice and honesty, and devotion to the service of God. These are in the essence of all religions as well as of Islam. Here religion is not separated from the well-being of society, and society is based on the eternal reality which creates consciousness in society.
An inseparably implied meaning of Husayn's declarations is that the leader of men need not take an active part in politics or in governmental affairs. His primary function is to serve humanity with ethical and normative integrity. He must create moral consciousness and a sense of responsibility which transcends the limits of the political community. He must serve social and spiritual values, but unfortunately totalitarian and despotic regimes subordinate spiritual and moral activities to their ends. It is at this point that Husayn rises up to set a new standard of leadership for challenging totalitarianism, despotism and the forces of evil. There were two ways open to him, one to mass his forces, gather strength, power, weapons and the military might to combat the despotic rule of Yazid. This would not have been difficult for the prestigious grandson of the Prophet, if he had wanted to resort to such action. But the actions of Husayn show that from the beginning to the end his strategy aimed at a much higher goal than simply accession to the caliphate, the term given to temporal authority in Islam. There is no evidence that he tried, while at Mecca, to enlist active supporters from among the people who gathered around him, or to propagate his cause among the great number of people who were coming to Mecca for the hajj; there is also no evidence that he attempted to send his emissaries to stir up any rebellion in the provinces such as the Yemen or Persia, which were sympathetic to his household, even though he was advised by some of his family members to do so. Above all, had he acted promptly on the invitation of the Kufans, while Umayyad control over the city was weak, he might have had a fair chance of success in grasping temporal power. In the six-month period before the battle of Karbala', Husayn did nothing to consolidate his strength and military power. Instead, throughout this period he was preparing himself for a different strategy of revolution.
Some of the writers on Karbala', looking at it from the common standards of war and victory, describe Husayn's action as an ambitious attempt to wrest political power and as an error of judgement. Husayn's numerous speeches, addresses, letters and statements bear testimony to the fact that he was fully aware of the situation and the consequences. Suffice it to point out that on the road from Medina to Mecca, then at the time when he was being the 'House of God' for Kufa, and finally throughout the journey from Mecca to Kufa he was informed and warned by dozens of people about the danger and that 'the hearts of the Iraqis were for him but their swords were for the Umayyads'. But Husayn's replies to all of those who attempted to deflect him from his purpose were always more or less in the same vein:
I leave it to God to choose what is best.... God is not hostile to him who proposes the just cause.
From these replies it is clear that Husayn was fully aware of the dangers he would encounter and that he had a certain strategy and plan in mind to bring about a revolution in the consciousness of the Muslim community. Furthermore, it is also very clear from the sources, as has been pointed out above, that Husayn did not try to organize or mobilize military support, which he easily could have done in the Hijaz, nor did he even try to exploit whatever physical strength was available to him. On the contrary, from the moment he left Mecca for Kufa, time and again he gathered those accompanying him and asked them to leave him alone and go to safety, the last of these requests being on the night of 'Ashura'. Is it conceivable that anyone striving for political ascendancy would ask his supporters to abandon him? No one can answer this question in the affirmative. What then did Husayn have in mind? Why was he still heading for Kufa?
A careful study and analysis of the events of Karbala' reveals that from the very beginning Husayn was planning for a complete revolution in the religious consciousness of Muslims. All of his actions show that he was aware of the fact that a victory achieved through military strength and might is always temporary, because another stronger power can, in the course of time, bring it down in ruins. But a victory achieved through suffering and sacrifice is everlasting and leaves permanent imprints on man's consciousness. Husayn was brought up in the lap of the founder of Islam and had inherited the love and devotion to the Islamic way of life from his father. As time went on, he noticed the great changes which were rapidly taking place in the community in regard to religious feelings and morality. The natural process of conflict and struggle between action and reaction was now at work. That is, Muhammad's progressive Islamic action had succeeded in suppressing Arab conservatism, embodied in heathen pre-Islamic practices and ways of thinking. But in less than thirty years' time this Arab conservatism had revitalized itself as a forceful reaction to challenge Muhammad's action once again. The forces of this reaction had already moved into motion with the rise of Mu'awiya, but the succession of Yazid was a clear sign that the reactionary forces had mobilized themselves and now re-emerged with full vigour. The strength of this reaction embodied in Yazid's character, was now powerful enough to suppress, or at least efface, the Prophet's action. His conduct amounted to open ridicule of Muhammad's sunna and the norms of the Qur'an. He openly defied the Prophethood of Muhammad and the revelation received by him. Now this same Yazid had become the head of the Muslim community and was asking Husayn to accept his authority. Husayn's acceptance of Yazid, with the latter's reactionary attitude against Islamic norms, would not have meant merely a political arrangement but an endorsement of Yazid's character and way of life as well. Thus the entire ethical and religious system of Islam, in the thinking of Husayn, was now in dire need of the reactivation of Muhammad's action against the old Arabian reaction and required a complete shaking up.
He realized that mere force of arms would not save Islamic action and consciousness. To him it needed a shaking and jolting of hearts and feelings. This, he decided, could only be achieved through sacrifice and suffering, and therefore, in order to save Islam and its values, and the freedom of man and his dignity, Husayn made one of the greatest sacrifices in human history. Eighteen male members of his family including a six- month-old son and 44 of his companions were killed in front of him and then he himself laid down his life at the altar of truth and human rights.
Husayn's body, already torn by numerous wounds, was trampled under the hooves of the horses, his tents were burnt and looted; the helpless women and children were shamelessly paraded through the streets of Iraq and Syria as captives, and were treated with humiliation at the crowded courts of Ibn Ziyad in Kufa, and Yazid in Damascus.
Husayn was fully aware of the extent of the brutal nature of the reactionary forces. He knew that after killing him the Umayyads would make his wife and children captives, and take them all the way from Kufa to Damascus. This caravan of the captives of the Prophet's immediate family would publicize Husayn's message and would force the Muslims' hearts to ponder on the tragedy. It would make the Muslims think over the whole affair and would awaken their consciousness. This is exactly what happened; Husayn succeeded in his purpose. It is difficult today to evaluate exactly the impact of Husayn's action on Islamic morality and way of thinking because it prevailed. Had Husayn not shaken and awakened Muslim consciousness by this method, can it be said that Yazid's way of life would not have become standard behaviour in the Muslim community, endorsed and accepted by the grandson of the Prophet. Even after Yazid, despotic rulers have held power in Islam, and the character and personal behaviour of these despotic rulers has not been very different from that of Yazid, but the change in thinking which prevailed after the sacrifice of Husayn always served as a criterion of distinction between the Islamic concept of leadership and the behaviour of totalitarian and despotic rulers. Husayn tells the world that it is no use destroying man; we must destroy man's anti-human actions and conduct. If rulers are overthrown but the system remains unaltered, nothing is gained.
The Imam Husayn's Concepts of Religion and Leadership
S.H.M Jafri
Vol XI No. 1
ONLY now and again does there arise above the common level some rare spirit, who, having looked upon God face to face [metaphorically speaking!], reflects more clearly the divine purpose, and puts into practice more courageously the divine guidances. The light of such a man shines like a strong beacon on a dark and disordered world. Our concepts of human values, human dignity and human freedom are better understood today because there has come into its life, among others, a personality that is a flame of God. His suffering embodies the pride of mankind, and in his sacrifice is reflected the eternal patience of man's greatness. An intrepid spirit, an impregnable will-power, and a superhuman passion for truth and justice are his main characteristics. And that man is Husayn b. 'Ali, the grandson of the Prophet of Islam. He presents to us the purest, the most elevating and the most inspiring ideal known to man. He is the one who taught man that death is not worse than a dishonourable life. He showed the world the real meaning of religion and the function of the leaders of mankind.
Religion as such is as old as man himself and is an inseparable part of his history, and therefore it has always been an object of deliberation, speculation, interpretation and also of rejection and criticism. From its earliest form of animism, nature-worship or totemism to that of its purest form of monotheism, religion in its broadest sense symbolizes and articulates society's most basic values and commitments. Moreover, there is the elemental urge in man not only to live, but to live nobly. When our passion for noble living receives cosmic backing, we have the peculiar ardour of religion. There is no one who does not raise at some time or other these fundamental questions: What am I? What is my origin? What is my destiny?
Religion is based on the discovery of the essential worth and dignity of the individual and his relation to a higher world of reality. When the human being perceives that he belongs to an order of reality higher than brute nature, he cannot be satisfied by worldly success or materialistic achievements. That he is capable of martyrdom for ideals shows that he lives in and for a world of eternal realities. Worship is man's reach out to the divine. Religion is the discipline which touches the conscience and helps us to struggle with evil and sordidness, saves us from greed, lust and hatred, releases moral power, and imparts courage in the enterprise of saving man from his inordinate desires. As a discipline of the mind, it contains the key and the essential means of coping with evil which threatens not only the dignity of man but his very existence. It implies the submission of our thinking and conduct to eternal truth. In its essence, religion is a summons to spiritual adventure. It is not theology, but practice and discipline. It is the only remedy for a pride of spirit which has divorced itself from the eternal; when the human spirit defies its sources and conditions and claims absolute self-sufficiency, it becomes insane and suicidal. To restore the lost relationship between the individual and the eternal is the purpose of religion. It is this basic and fundamental relationship which alone can bring ease and harmony in man's relationship with God, with himself, with his fellow man or with the society in which he lives, and with nature. If the relationship between the individual and the sole Creator is broken, the entire fabric of peaceful and meaningful human life will be broken. It is this harmony which religions serve to establish, Islam being the last of them.
Islam means peace as well as submission to the will of God and this is the essence of the Islamic concept of religion. The submission to God in Islam implies, in attitude and action, a regulation of our lives. God, according to Islam, is not a dogma but an ideal and a regulative force in life, and a guarantee of our highest values. Thus, the submission to God, the 'Ideal', with a firm belief in its reality, is a life both of virtue and inner happiness. A man who submits himself to God is true to his real self and, therefore, attains inner peace, which is real happiness, and quite different from worldly pleasures. This happiness more than compensates for any lack of material gain, or for physical pain and suffering.
It is with this concept of religion in general and Islam in particular that we should try to understand how the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, the Imam Husayn b. 'Ali, explains the meaning of religion and the function of religious leadership. The question of the leadership of mankind is the oft- repeated topic of the Qur'an. Whenever the Qur'an talks about divine guidance it also points out those who are entitled to guide. The Qur'anic terms for leaders of mankind are rasul, nabi and imam. The first two are specific terms, whereas the word imam is used in a rather general sense for those who are endowed with the special qualities with which they can lead others to righteousness and good deeds. Thus, for example, we read in the Qur'an that when Abraham, the patriarch of the prophets was told by God 'Behold, I make you an imam (leader) of the people', he asked: 'And what about my offspring?' God replied: 'My covenant will not go to evildoers.' Thus an imam, or leader, of the people is one who leads the people in all cases of conscience, keeps the covenant of God remembered and the teaching of the Prophets alive and effective. He is to protect the religio- ethical message delivered by the messenger of God from being corrupted and changed, and to save it from the reactionary forces which emerge from time to time.
The Message of the Prophet of Islam passed into the hands of the worldly Umayyads within thirty years of his death. After the death of 'Ali in 40/661, Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan appropriated the office of the leadership of the community for himself through the use of force and deceit and ruled the Muslims for twenty years. On Mu'awiya's death, his son Yazid assumed the role of the leadership of the Muslims as the caliph in accordance with the former's unprecedented testament. Yazid's anti-Islamic behaviour and openly irreligious practices were well known throughout the Muslim world and earned for him contempt and disfavour, especially among those who cared for Islamic religio-ethical values. An embodiment of all sorts of vice, tyranny, injustice, oppression and despotic rule, Yazid wanted Husayn to pay him homage as the leader of the Muslim community and submit himself to his authority. That was the crucial point in Islamic history when the meaning of religion had to be reasserted and the function of leadership redefined. This was done by Husayn b. 'Ali with the most effective method of sacrifice, suffering and martyrdom. In reply to the letters written by the people of Iraq inviting him to come to Kufa to take up their leadership, as they had no imam other than him, Husayn wrote to them:
From Husayn b. Ali to the believers and Muslims [of Iraq]: You have invited me to come to you because you have no imam to guide you, and that you hope my arrival there will unite you in the right path and in the truth. You must be clear about the fact that the imam can only be one who follows the Book of God, makes justice and honesty his conduct and behaviour, judges with truth, and devotes himself to the service of God.
In response to the invitation of the people of Basra, Husayn replied:
. . . I have sent my messenger to you and I call you to the Book of God, and the sunna of his Prophet, the sunna which has become obliterated; innovations have become active and energetic. If you listen to me and obey my orders, I will guide you to the right path. May the peace and mercy of God be upon you.
There is space here only to give these two quotations from numerous such statements which Husayn made from the time he left Medina till his martyrdom about six months later. These quotations are by themselves a complete explanation of Husayn's approach to the question of leadership as well as of the function of religion in society. They also explain the duties of an imeim and the nature of the Imamate which was so distorted at this point in Islamic history.
The main points which emerge from them are: (i) that an imam is one who unites the people; (ii) that he should lead them to the right path and to truth; (iii) that the Qur'an, as the Book of God, is an eternal truth, and the duty of the imam is to follow its model, and conduct his life according to the will of God; (iv) that the imam must make justice and honesty the cornerstones of his life; (v) that truth in its most universal and absolute form must be his only criterion; (vi) and that he must devote himself to the service of God.
The functions of the imam enumerated here are both particular and universal, descriptive and normative, and primary and evaluative; they can be applied in every society, time and epoch. They are particular, descriptive and normative when read strictly in the context of Islam, and are universal, primary and evaluative if read in their general meaning which embraces all religions and the whole of humanity. The key terms in Husayn's declarations are: the unity of people (which is basically a unity of purpose), the right path, truth, justice and honesty, and devotion to the service of God. These are in the essence of all religions as well as of Islam. Here religion is not separated from the well-being of society, and society is based on the eternal reality which creates consciousness in society.
An inseparably implied meaning of Husayn's declarations is that the leader of men need not take an active part in politics or in governmental affairs. His primary function is to serve humanity with ethical and normative integrity. He must create moral consciousness and a sense of responsibility which transcends the limits of the political community. He must serve social and spiritual values, but unfortunately totalitarian and despotic regimes subordinate spiritual and moral activities to their ends. It is at this point that Husayn rises up to set a new standard of leadership for challenging totalitarianism, despotism and the forces of evil. There were two ways open to him, one to mass his forces, gather strength, power, weapons and the military might to combat the despotic rule of Yazid. This would not have been difficult for the prestigious grandson of the Prophet, if he had wanted to resort to such action. But the actions of Husayn show that from the beginning to the end his strategy aimed at a much higher goal than simply accession to the caliphate, the term given to temporal authority in Islam. There is no evidence that he tried, while at Mecca, to enlist active supporters from among the people who gathered around him, or to propagate his cause among the great number of people who were coming to Mecca for the hajj; there is also no evidence that he attempted to send his emissaries to stir up any rebellion in the provinces such as the Yemen or Persia, which were sympathetic to his household, even though he was advised by some of his family members to do so. Above all, had he acted promptly on the invitation of the Kufans, while Umayyad control over the city was weak, he might have had a fair chance of success in grasping temporal power. In the six-month period before the battle of Karbala', Husayn did nothing to consolidate his strength and military power. Instead, throughout this period he was preparing himself for a different strategy of revolution.
Some of the writers on Karbala', looking at it from the common standards of war and victory, describe Husayn's action as an ambitious attempt to wrest political power and as an error of judgement. Husayn's numerous speeches, addresses, letters and statements bear testimony to the fact that he was fully aware of the situation and the consequences. Suffice it to point out that on the road from Medina to Mecca, then at the time when he was being the 'House of God' for Kufa, and finally throughout the journey from Mecca to Kufa he was informed and warned by dozens of people about the danger and that 'the hearts of the Iraqis were for him but their swords were for the Umayyads'. But Husayn's replies to all of those who attempted to deflect him from his purpose were always more or less in the same vein:
I leave it to God to choose what is best.... God is not hostile to him who proposes the just cause.
From these replies it is clear that Husayn was fully aware of the dangers he would encounter and that he had a certain strategy and plan in mind to bring about a revolution in the consciousness of the Muslim community. Furthermore, it is also very clear from the sources, as has been pointed out above, that Husayn did not try to organize or mobilize military support, which he easily could have done in the Hijaz, nor did he even try to exploit whatever physical strength was available to him. On the contrary, from the moment he left Mecca for Kufa, time and again he gathered those accompanying him and asked them to leave him alone and go to safety, the last of these requests being on the night of 'Ashura'. Is it conceivable that anyone striving for political ascendancy would ask his supporters to abandon him? No one can answer this question in the affirmative. What then did Husayn have in mind? Why was he still heading for Kufa?
A careful study and analysis of the events of Karbala' reveals that from the very beginning Husayn was planning for a complete revolution in the religious consciousness of Muslims. All of his actions show that he was aware of the fact that a victory achieved through military strength and might is always temporary, because another stronger power can, in the course of time, bring it down in ruins. But a victory achieved through suffering and sacrifice is everlasting and leaves permanent imprints on man's consciousness. Husayn was brought up in the lap of the founder of Islam and had inherited the love and devotion to the Islamic way of life from his father. As time went on, he noticed the great changes which were rapidly taking place in the community in regard to religious feelings and morality. The natural process of conflict and struggle between action and reaction was now at work. That is, Muhammad's progressive Islamic action had succeeded in suppressing Arab conservatism, embodied in heathen pre-Islamic practices and ways of thinking. But in less than thirty years' time this Arab conservatism had revitalized itself as a forceful reaction to challenge Muhammad's action once again. The forces of this reaction had already moved into motion with the rise of Mu'awiya, but the succession of Yazid was a clear sign that the reactionary forces had mobilized themselves and now re-emerged with full vigour. The strength of this reaction embodied in Yazid's character, was now powerful enough to suppress, or at least efface, the Prophet's action. His conduct amounted to open ridicule of Muhammad's sunna and the norms of the Qur'an. He openly defied the Prophethood of Muhammad and the revelation received by him. Now this same Yazid had become the head of the Muslim community and was asking Husayn to accept his authority. Husayn's acceptance of Yazid, with the latter's reactionary attitude against Islamic norms, would not have meant merely a political arrangement but an endorsement of Yazid's character and way of life as well. Thus the entire ethical and religious system of Islam, in the thinking of Husayn, was now in dire need of the reactivation of Muhammad's action against the old Arabian reaction and required a complete shaking up.
He realized that mere force of arms would not save Islamic action and consciousness. To him it needed a shaking and jolting of hearts and feelings. This, he decided, could only be achieved through sacrifice and suffering, and therefore, in order to save Islam and its values, and the freedom of man and his dignity, Husayn made one of the greatest sacrifices in human history. Eighteen male members of his family including a six- month-old son and 44 of his companions were killed in front of him and then he himself laid down his life at the altar of truth and human rights.
Husayn's body, already torn by numerous wounds, was trampled under the hooves of the horses, his tents were burnt and looted; the helpless women and children were shamelessly paraded through the streets of Iraq and Syria as captives, and were treated with humiliation at the crowded courts of Ibn Ziyad in Kufa, and Yazid in Damascus.
Husayn was fully aware of the extent of the brutal nature of the reactionary forces. He knew that after killing him the Umayyads would make his wife and children captives, and take them all the way from Kufa to Damascus. This caravan of the captives of the Prophet's immediate family would publicize Husayn's message and would force the Muslims' hearts to ponder on the tragedy. It would make the Muslims think over the whole affair and would awaken their consciousness. This is exactly what happened; Husayn succeeded in his purpose. It is difficult today to evaluate exactly the impact of Husayn's action on Islamic morality and way of thinking because it prevailed. Had Husayn not shaken and awakened Muslim consciousness by this method, can it be said that Yazid's way of life would not have become standard behaviour in the Muslim community, endorsed and accepted by the grandson of the Prophet. Even after Yazid, despotic rulers have held power in Islam, and the character and personal behaviour of these despotic rulers has not been very different from that of Yazid, but the change in thinking which prevailed after the sacrifice of Husayn always served as a criterion of distinction between the Islamic concept of leadership and the behaviour of totalitarian and despotic rulers. Husayn tells the world that it is no use destroying man; we must destroy man's anti-human actions and conduct. If rulers are overthrown but the system remains unaltered, nothing is gained.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Muharram is almost here
Here’s something I think about fairly often: Given that the events of Karbala are so moving and the message so powerful and the results so important, why is it that most of the world doesn’t know a thing about it, and why is it that the yearly observance of Muharram does not shatter the worldly paradigms and result in a true change of the human condition?
Throughout history, the lovers of Ahlulbayt (as) have survived despite heavy oppression. At times, that oppression meant that they observed their faith privately while having to be very careful what they presented in the public arena. For many Shias today, however, there exists the opportunity to be free in living their faith publicly and privately. Today we see processions in Muharram all over the world, and we see people donating blood and giving out water on Ashura. Shias come to the Muharram observances in number, many feeling increased love and connection to Ahlulbayt (as) and renewed faith as a result. I thank God to see these happenings. But I am not satisfied.
I was not raised as a Shia, so I did not grow up with Muharram observances. When I first became a Shia and went through my first Muharram, it wasn’t all that I hoped. For one, the fact that all of the moving things people recited for matam were in a language I couldn’t understand, I didn’t know what was going on and felt isolated. I had trouble concentrating on the message of Karbala and instead found myself just questioning if I belonged there while I tried to figure out all the rituals – what were they doing and why? I certainly understood why things were not in English and tried to appreciate and absorb as much as I could. But I felt alienated, and I felt selfish for feeling alienated, because I was focusing on my own needs and experiences rather than on Imam Husain (as). Aside from taking in what I could, knowing I was missing the majority of it, I didn’t know what to do to fulfill my desires to approach a similar connection those around me seemed to be achieving. I decided to go home and read books about Imam Husain (as). I found a few good ones, but it wasn’t long before I felt I was just reading the same things over again in slightly different words, while I wanted to move forward rather than just repeating. How could I make what was available work for me?
Truthfully, I haven’t found the answer to that question. I just keep trying to engage in the experience with everyone else and cultivate true response to the call of Imam Husain (as) in my heart. Over time as I become more accustomed to the traditions that have developed for observing Muharram, I can get more out of them. I can be satisfied with that. But I am dissatisfied that the world doesn’t stop with the Shia heart on Ashura. My non-Muslim co-workers and students go about their lives like it was any other day, because to them it is. I have at times wanted to do at least something small about this within my own family, but there is an unspoken rule with them since I converted that anything to do with religion is not open for discussion. And even if I did tell them the story of Husain (as), I don’t think they would feel it the way I want the whole world to feel it.
When I went for hajj in 1999, alhumdooleluh, one of the hardest things about it was coming back. I came back to a home in which no one lived that I could share anything about the life-changing things I had experienced. They had no way of understanding that walking around a small stone building could be a transcendent experience. To them, it was all just alien ritual that would sound silly when described. And if I were to get them to join a Muharram observance or tell them about it, again, if I had so much trouble getting it when I desperately wanted to, I know they wouldn’t get it. Sometimes I have wanted to maybe take a family member or a friend to a majlis or something similar, but for many of them, I don’t think it would help to bridge the gap between us. I fear it might increase it, because it would just be too alien for them. I have met a few wonderful people over the years that could be an exception, but for the average folk in my life I feel compelled to keep much of my religion in a compartment away from them. And I know this isn’t right. How can I bring my Muslim and non-Muslim worlds together?
In some ways I am a cynical person. If I pass by a booth where an organization has a message to share, I think their intentions are at least partially self-serving. Maybe the message is a good one and would benefit me, but I suspect that they are seeking to benefit themselves by getting their message out – to gain more acceptance, more followers, more money, more something. And honestly, were I not a Shia, I would look at a Muharram procession, giving out water on Ashura, donating blood on Ashura and all such similar things the same way. I think these are good things and they should keep on happening, but I am not satisfied.
I don’t see the world quaking on Ashura, I don’t see real inroads being made to spread the message, and I don’t see Shias really changing that much in answer to the call. I feel we’re just going in circles, repeating the same things year after year. Am I alone in feeling this? Is it just that I am missing the picture that much compared to everyone else? Stepping into a Muharram majlis is like stepping into another world – it is, for the most part, cut off from the rest of the people who have no idea and no understanding of what is taking place there, nor any sturdy bridge to approach. The effects of it, while potentially great, often stick within those walls, or at least within the walls of the hearts of those attending. But shouldn’t the effects shatter all walls?
So I ask myself, what would satisfy me? How could the gaps be bridged and the world finally respond in unison on Ashura the way it should? What would it truly mean to answer that call? One thing that comes to my mind is that Shias need to be more like Ahlulbayt (as), more like the martyrs. We need to be extraordinary, not ordinary. We need to truly expend ourselves in the way of Allah swt in ways that we feel it and the rest of the world feels it, too. And if I were to pick one aspect for focus, I would focus on altruism. I would make Shias known the world over for being the leaders in doing good deeds and charity without seeking anything in return, for the sake of God, because that is something that speaks to everyone across all linguistic and cultural barriers. Not on Ashura, not on Eid, but every day. Not just the youth, or a few adults, but all Shias.
Hopefully all do not judge this a sacrilegious idea, but while I love the spiritual feeling I get from a good religious lecture and by no means imply the lectures and matam go away, I would forego it, for a change, to see and be part of an entire Shia community gathering to help the homeless, sick, cold, and hungry neighbors where they live, Muslim or non-Muslim, in the same numbers as showing up for a Muharram speech, for all twelve nights, and throughout the year. For one year, no fan clubs of Muharram speakers and reciters, just selfless giving in the name of Ahlulbayt(as), and a lot of it - mending clothes, giving blankets and coats, filling food bank shelves, reading to children, repairing someone’s car or home, cleaning parks, finding someone a job. Would the message reach beyond the usual walls? Would we make progress? Would we answer the call?
Throughout history, the lovers of Ahlulbayt (as) have survived despite heavy oppression. At times, that oppression meant that they observed their faith privately while having to be very careful what they presented in the public arena. For many Shias today, however, there exists the opportunity to be free in living their faith publicly and privately. Today we see processions in Muharram all over the world, and we see people donating blood and giving out water on Ashura. Shias come to the Muharram observances in number, many feeling increased love and connection to Ahlulbayt (as) and renewed faith as a result. I thank God to see these happenings. But I am not satisfied.
I was not raised as a Shia, so I did not grow up with Muharram observances. When I first became a Shia and went through my first Muharram, it wasn’t all that I hoped. For one, the fact that all of the moving things people recited for matam were in a language I couldn’t understand, I didn’t know what was going on and felt isolated. I had trouble concentrating on the message of Karbala and instead found myself just questioning if I belonged there while I tried to figure out all the rituals – what were they doing and why? I certainly understood why things were not in English and tried to appreciate and absorb as much as I could. But I felt alienated, and I felt selfish for feeling alienated, because I was focusing on my own needs and experiences rather than on Imam Husain (as). Aside from taking in what I could, knowing I was missing the majority of it, I didn’t know what to do to fulfill my desires to approach a similar connection those around me seemed to be achieving. I decided to go home and read books about Imam Husain (as). I found a few good ones, but it wasn’t long before I felt I was just reading the same things over again in slightly different words, while I wanted to move forward rather than just repeating. How could I make what was available work for me?
Truthfully, I haven’t found the answer to that question. I just keep trying to engage in the experience with everyone else and cultivate true response to the call of Imam Husain (as) in my heart. Over time as I become more accustomed to the traditions that have developed for observing Muharram, I can get more out of them. I can be satisfied with that. But I am dissatisfied that the world doesn’t stop with the Shia heart on Ashura. My non-Muslim co-workers and students go about their lives like it was any other day, because to them it is. I have at times wanted to do at least something small about this within my own family, but there is an unspoken rule with them since I converted that anything to do with religion is not open for discussion. And even if I did tell them the story of Husain (as), I don’t think they would feel it the way I want the whole world to feel it.
When I went for hajj in 1999, alhumdooleluh, one of the hardest things about it was coming back. I came back to a home in which no one lived that I could share anything about the life-changing things I had experienced. They had no way of understanding that walking around a small stone building could be a transcendent experience. To them, it was all just alien ritual that would sound silly when described. And if I were to get them to join a Muharram observance or tell them about it, again, if I had so much trouble getting it when I desperately wanted to, I know they wouldn’t get it. Sometimes I have wanted to maybe take a family member or a friend to a majlis or something similar, but for many of them, I don’t think it would help to bridge the gap between us. I fear it might increase it, because it would just be too alien for them. I have met a few wonderful people over the years that could be an exception, but for the average folk in my life I feel compelled to keep much of my religion in a compartment away from them. And I know this isn’t right. How can I bring my Muslim and non-Muslim worlds together?
In some ways I am a cynical person. If I pass by a booth where an organization has a message to share, I think their intentions are at least partially self-serving. Maybe the message is a good one and would benefit me, but I suspect that they are seeking to benefit themselves by getting their message out – to gain more acceptance, more followers, more money, more something. And honestly, were I not a Shia, I would look at a Muharram procession, giving out water on Ashura, donating blood on Ashura and all such similar things the same way. I think these are good things and they should keep on happening, but I am not satisfied.
I don’t see the world quaking on Ashura, I don’t see real inroads being made to spread the message, and I don’t see Shias really changing that much in answer to the call. I feel we’re just going in circles, repeating the same things year after year. Am I alone in feeling this? Is it just that I am missing the picture that much compared to everyone else? Stepping into a Muharram majlis is like stepping into another world – it is, for the most part, cut off from the rest of the people who have no idea and no understanding of what is taking place there, nor any sturdy bridge to approach. The effects of it, while potentially great, often stick within those walls, or at least within the walls of the hearts of those attending. But shouldn’t the effects shatter all walls?
So I ask myself, what would satisfy me? How could the gaps be bridged and the world finally respond in unison on Ashura the way it should? What would it truly mean to answer that call? One thing that comes to my mind is that Shias need to be more like Ahlulbayt (as), more like the martyrs. We need to be extraordinary, not ordinary. We need to truly expend ourselves in the way of Allah swt in ways that we feel it and the rest of the world feels it, too. And if I were to pick one aspect for focus, I would focus on altruism. I would make Shias known the world over for being the leaders in doing good deeds and charity without seeking anything in return, for the sake of God, because that is something that speaks to everyone across all linguistic and cultural barriers. Not on Ashura, not on Eid, but every day. Not just the youth, or a few adults, but all Shias.
Hopefully all do not judge this a sacrilegious idea, but while I love the spiritual feeling I get from a good religious lecture and by no means imply the lectures and matam go away, I would forego it, for a change, to see and be part of an entire Shia community gathering to help the homeless, sick, cold, and hungry neighbors where they live, Muslim or non-Muslim, in the same numbers as showing up for a Muharram speech, for all twelve nights, and throughout the year. For one year, no fan clubs of Muharram speakers and reciters, just selfless giving in the name of Ahlulbayt(as), and a lot of it - mending clothes, giving blankets and coats, filling food bank shelves, reading to children, repairing someone’s car or home, cleaning parks, finding someone a job. Would the message reach beyond the usual walls? Would we make progress? Would we answer the call?
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Victoria trip
When I left work today I got into my car, looked over to see if any other cars were pulling out, and spotted this little bunny rabbit resting by the tire of someone's van in the parking lot. On my drive in this morning, a coyote ran across Mesa Road in front of me.
I get a thrill seeing animals in the "wild". This weekend, I went to give a speech in Victoria, BC. On the University campus, there were bunnies everywhere - but nothing like the bunnies I see here - these rabbits looked like the ones sold in pet stores - black ones, brown ones with black patches around their eyes, dalmatian ones (black and white), pure white ones, etc. Very cute. The kids on the bus that we took the university were quite excited to the see the rabbits, too.
On Saturday, I flew to Vancouver BC. I arrived at the airport apparently at the perfect time because all lines were short and it only took moments to get through checking and security. I changed planes in Denver. When I arrived in BC, the line for customs was a bit long but nothing like the incredible lines in Toronto. I saw birds flying around the airports both in Denver and Vancouver. I was met by close friends. The first time I visited them, I remember a child now in 7th grade was not yet weaned - how quickly time flies!
I was dropped off at one person's apartment building and spent the afternoon visiting and eating lunch and dinner. Then the wife and I were picked up by her daughter to go to a ladies-only program at the masjid. The program had two main parts; the first a lady told the story of Karbala in English and then after each brief statement, a short marsiya about that event was sung, in Urdu.
The second part was a play put on by ladies about Mukhtar. It was pretty funny to see the ladies with fake beards and dressed up but the play did a good job teaching about what individuals had done in Karbala in committing crimes against Ahlulbayt (as).
Sunday morning I was picked up by another lady and her husband who took me to the mosque again where we caught a bus to the ferry. A group of us took the ferry to Vancouver Island and then another bus to the University in Victoria. There, I gave my speech first and we had lunch and prayers and then more speeches – one from a university professor about early Islamic archaeology and the rest from Sunni and Shia speakers about different aspects of Karbala. I was relieved to go first and my speech was alhumdooleluh well-received. There were a few non-Muslim attendees for the conference. I think they hoped for more. But, if they really intend a non-Muslim audience, then they need to adjust the speeches accordingly, because as they are, they use too many non-English words and do not start at a basic enough level to be really understood or appreciated by the non-Muslim audience.
Then we caught the 7 o-clock ferry back to BC and I was met by a member of the family that initially met me at the airport. We had dinner at their house and I got to talk with all the kids except the youngest who was already sleeping as it was 10 at night with school the next day. In the morning, one of the family took me to the airport for an early flight back home. Their youngest son has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease at quite a young age and your dua'as would be appreciated for Mustafa Dewji.
I was so happy to see my friends; they are always very warm and welcoming and seeing them again felt wonderful; on the one hand it felt like no time at all had passed since I last saw them, on the other hand time is passing very quickly between opportunities to see them. I thank them very much for their friendship and hospitality.
In an e-mail group I am a member of, someone recently posted about changes in the group over the past decade. A decade ago, we were so much more energetic and optimistic. Now it seems we are more resigned and with more bleak outlooks. I think there are some good reasons you can probably think of that have played out in the past decade that has darkened our eyes; but I also thought how it has sneaked up on us and taken us unaware, this darker outlook on life, and how we should not have allowed it to do so - because regardless of circumstances there is always much to be grateful for and if we keep the right perspective and do the right things in life, one thing fuels the next in positive outcomes or new doors of opportunity. We need to be like children in some ways; a child who is seriously ill takes it in stride, living in the moment - not caught up in worry about ten years from now. A child gets excited about and really enjoys every good thing, too.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
The Covenant of Abraham (as) in the Torah, Bible and Qur’an: Implications about the Universal Nature of the Lessons of Kerbala
Allamah Iqbal once wrote, “The story of the Kaaba is unique, simple and colorful – it ends with Husain (as) and begins with Ishmael (as).”
Some scholars have noted a relationship between the events we commemorate in Hajj and in Muharram, between the actions of Abraham (as) or Ishmael (as) and those of Imam Husain (as). My purpose in speaking is to provide information about that relationship and the universality to Imam Husain (as)’s aims and appeal that could be utilized for a better future.
In translation of the Qur’an it is written, “You will never find any change in Allah’s way of dealing.” (35:43) In all the scripture we find that every prophet or imam announced his successor or heir according to God’s will. Some of the important events and coming of prophets were predicted or prophesized about long before they came.
So a Muslim might naturally be curious about what surviving scripture from the People of Book has to say about certain aspects of religion, even though Muslims look at the Bible, Torah and other works used by the Jews and Christians today as being not identical to what was originally revealed.
Further, if something is contained in the works used by followers of all three faiths, it can potentially serve as a basis for a common understanding and communication between the followers.
So I think we might look at the Qur’an as well as what the People of the Book have today as we think about Imam Husain (as).
In the New Testament, Simon Peter, the first apostle of Prophet Esa (as), said in a sermon,
“For Moses (as) truly said unto the fathers, a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, and in all matters from him you will hear only what God says unto him. And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. And all the prophets from Samuel (as) and those that follow after, as many as have ever spoken, have foretold those days. You all are the children of prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham(as), and in thy seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed.” Acts 3:22-25
This is presented as referring to Jesus (as), but many Muslim scholars recognize it as referring to the Prophet Muhammad (saw), for, as the prophecy repeated by all the prophets says, Muhammad (saw) came through Ishmael’s (as) line rather than Ishaq’s (as), is more like Moses (as) than Jesus (as), and history records undoubtedly that he spoke the Qur’an as revealed from God, just like the prophecy suggests. Further, the prophecy says the prophet is for every soul, not just for a select population, just as Qur’an says about Muhammad (saw) “We sent thee not but unto mankind as a whole.” (34:28) – something claimed about no other prophet. This prophecy is also mentioned in the Torah or Old Testament, in Deuteronomy chapter 18.
And God says, “I will raise them a Prophet from among their brethren, and will put My words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Some Jewish scholars believed this prophet was Jeremiah (as), who lived around 600 BCE, but others still waited for this prophecy to be fulfilled.
Other Christian scripture verses that appear to refer to the coming of prophet Muhammad (saw) are contained in the Gospel of John:
Jesus (as) was asked, “Are you that Prophet”, the one referred to in Deuteronomy but not yet come? He answered them, “No.” Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you unto all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear from God that shall he speak.”
History records that some Christians after the time of Jesus (as) were still looking for signs of another prophet based on these writings, such that some of them became interested to find out about Muhammad (saw) during his lifetime.
Simon Peter also mentioned a covenant between God and Abraham (as) - “You all are the children of prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham (as), and in thy seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed.”
Torah and Qur’an also both mention this covenant
In the book of Genesis: And as for Ishmael (as), I have heard thee; Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiple him exceedingly: Twelve Princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation” (18:20) This is my covenant which ye shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised as a token of the covenant.
And in Surah Baqarah: God said, I will make thee an Imam for mankind. Said Abraham (as) – and my offspring? My covenant shall not reach the unjust. 2:124
So we see the covenant between God and Abraham (as) signified with circumcision is that the just offspring of Abraham (as) will be blessed and include Twelve Princes from the line of Ishmael (as), that some scholars believe refers to the twelve Imams (as). As a further sign of this, some scholars have said that the male direct descendants of Ishmael (as) including the Prophet (saw) and twelve Imams were born without foreskin, the covenant already being fulfilled in them.
Abraham (as) obeyed the command of God to take Hajar and Ishmael (as) to the desert where she struggled to find water for him. In Genesis it says, “Arise, lift up the lad Ishmael (as) and hold him in your hand for I will make him a great nation. And God opened hajar’s eyes and she saw a well of water and she went, and filled the bottle with water and gave the lad to drink.” When Ishmael (as) had grown, Abraham (as) and Ishmael (as) raised the foundation of the Kaaba, and prayed for just offspring according to the covenant. Then, Abraham (as) had a vision to slay Ishmael (as). He and Ishmael (as) were prepared to obey God with the sacrifice, but instead a ram was put in Ishmael’s (as) place, and according to the Qur’an, Abraham (as) heard, “O Abraham, of course thou hast faithfully fulfilled the dream, thou art of the truthful ones, but verily it is an open test, we have substituted it with a Greater Sacrifice. We have transferred it to later generations.” 37:105-108
According to the scholar S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali, the purpose of such a waylaid sacrifice is as a symbol of obedience and submission to the one God, but that the time was not right for the sacrifice to be able to serve the purpose of leading mankind as a whole towards a universal religion. That time would have to wait until the universal prophet came, and the third of the twelve princes would be put in Ishmael’s (as) place. Whereas Ishmael’s (as) thirst was abated with the well of Zam-Zam, and he and Abraham (as) was victorious in obeying God about the sacrifice while it was only an open test, Husain’s (as) thirst would go unabated and his sacrifice was real, the Greater Sacrifice for the universal religion for the well-being and guidance of all people who should pay heed to the message.
Thus it might be said that the hajj rituals re-enact the beginning of the covenant that is fulfilled in the line of prophets and imams descended from Ishmael (as) at the end of the calendar year, while the beginning of the next calendar year then marks the Great Sacrifice of Imam Husain (as), who turned away from Kaa’ba, who was denied water, and who by his sacrifice achieved the victory of preserving truth and guidance. The hajj –goers wear white shrouds similar to death shrouds. The male participants in hajj must be circumcised, honoring the covenant. It seems that there are many intimate connections between hajj and the sacrifice on Ashura to ponder about.
From the time of Abraham (as), then, it was known that this other, greater sacrifice would be coming. Shaikh Tabarsi reported that Adam (as), Zachariah (as), Abraham (as) and Ishmael (as), Solomon (as), Moses (as) and Jesus (as) all were informed about the upcoming event of the Great Sacrifice of Husain (as) to re-establish God’s religion in the earth.
Hadith report that shortly after the birth of Imam Husain (as), Gabriel told the Prophet Muhammad (saw) about Kerbala, saying, “He will at last be martyred with all his faithful supporters in a desert called Karbala on the banks of the Euphrates in Iraq, it will be a time when the religion of God will be in crisis and the existence of this truth for future generations of Mankind will rest upon the sacrifices of Husain (as), your grandson.”
There is one verse in the Book of Jeremiah in the Jewish Nevi’in or the Christian Old Testament that is sometimes suggested as being about Kerbala.
Jeremiah 46:10 says “For the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.” However, the context of this is about war between Babylon and Egypt around the same time as Jeremiah (as) lived. There may be a relationship in location but it seems a bit far-fetched to associate the verse with Imam Husain (as).
Incidentally, There is one ayah of Qur’an that may be about Jeremiah, although it appears more commentators say it is Ezra, who lived a few hundred years after Jeremiah (as).
Consider the one who passed by a ghost town Jerusalem and wondered, "How can GOD revive this after it had died?" GOD then put him to death for a hundred years, then resurrected him. He said, "How long have you stayed here?" He said, "I have been here a day, or part of the day." He said, "No! You have been here a hundred years. Yet, look at your food and drink; they did not spoil. Look at your donkey - we thus render you a lesson for the people. Now, note how we construct the bones, then cover them with flesh." When he realized what had happened, he said, "Now I know that GOD is Omnipotent." 2:259
Aside from the ayah about the Greater Sacrifice, it is reported from Shaikh Tabarsi that the Eleventh Imam, Hasan Askari (as) said that the Holy Prophet (saw) was informed of the tragedy of Karbala and that it is confined in the symbol letters in the Qur’an – “Kof Ha Ya Ain Saad of Surah Maryam.
Kaf – Karbala
Ha – Halakat (destruction/death/perdition)
Ya – Yazeed
Ain – Atash (thirst)
Saad - Sabr e Husain (as) – patience and fortitude of Imam Husain (as) "These words are from the concealed codes regarding which Allah informed His Servant the Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) and regarding which it was revealed to the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.s).
The incident is as follows :
Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) asked his Lord to teach him the names of the Five Pure Ones, to which Jibra'eel descended and taught him the five names. Whenever Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) recited the four names, Mohammad (s.a.w.s), Ali (a.s), Fatemah (a.s) and Hasan (a.s), his heart would be enlightened and his sorrow would part away, but when he took the name of Husain (a.s) he would become sorrowful and turn restless. One day he asked Allah Almighty, "My Lord! When I utter the names of these four Pure Personalities, my sorrow parts away, but when I take the name of Husain (as), I turn sorrowful and weep & wail." Then Allah, the Mighty the Sublime revealed to him regarding Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ain, Swad. Kaf stands for Karbala, and Ha for Halakah (perdition) of the Prophet's Household, Ya for Yazeed, the oppresser and murderer of Husain (a.s), Ain for Atash (thirst), and Swad for (Sabr) Patience and forbearance of Husain (as). When Prophet Zakariyah (as) heard this he was so much grieved that for three consecutive days he refused to come out of his place of worship and did not permit people to meet him, and remained grief-stricken and wept profusely. And he recited the following elegy: O Lord! Will you let the best of Creatures see the plight of his son? O Lord! Will you allow this disaster to fall upon his House-hold? O Lord! Will you let Ali (as) and Fatemah (as) wear the dress of grief and will they witness this calamity"? He (Prophet Zakariyah (as)) would always say, "O Lord!
Bestow upon me with a son who would be the light of my eyes in my old-age, and when you present me with a son make my love intense for him and then let me taste the grief of his loss as Your Friend Mohammad (s.a.w.s) who will mourn the death of his son. Thus Allah blessed Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) with a son Prophet Yahya (a.s) whose death was mourned by Prophet Zakariyah (as). Prophet Yahya (a.s)'s period of (his mother's) pregnancy was six months similar to that of Imam Husain (a.s)."
However, it is also said about these and other such letters beginning surahs of the Qur’an that many interpretations have been forwarded and manipulated by some commentators but they are based upon conjecture, lacking definite authority. The Imams (as) said that these letters are a means of reaching the higher realms of true knowledge available in the Qur’an but reserved for the chosen representatives of Allah (swt).
Another selection in Qur’an associated with Kerbala in commentaries I’ve seen in English 2:154 and 155 reads, “And call not those who are slain in the way of Allah "dead." Nay, they are living, only ye perceive not. "And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient.
It is reported that 154 was first revealed for the slain at the Battle of Badr, but that, in the words of Mir Ahmed Ali, “only once in the history of the world all kinds of trials mentioned in this verse to the maximum conceivable degree have been happily and triumphantly endured and coped with by Imam Husain (as) and his family and friends in the desert of Karbala. Imam Sadiq (as) is quoted in Al-Burhan fi Tafsir il Qur’an as saying that the glad tidings to the patient refers not only to Hereafter, but also means advent of the Mahdi (as), and that all those tribulations before it are signs of his advent. So if these verses are related to Kerbala, then they would appear to have other meanings – such as the general meaning, the Battle of Badr and signs of the end days, as well.
So to this point we see that the tragedy Kerbala itself may or may not be indirectly suggested in the scriptures, but a trend in the various sources suggests that the covenant of Abraham (as) is fulfilled in his progeny, to include the descendants of Ishmael (as) up to Muhammad (saw) and the Imams (as), and that it is plausible that the sacrifice of Ishmael (as) put off for the Tremendous Sacrifice of a later generation refers to the sacrifice of Imam Husain (as), and that its delay was for the fulfillment of the purpose that its message be for all mankind, not a particular sect or tribe of mankind, at a time when this message of God’s religion had been sent for all people.
If we examine the causes of the tragedy of Karbala and the actions of Imam Husain (as) and his party, we see that the stand was one for upholding and saving truth for the benefit of all people of the present and future and opposing oppression and corruption.
All the great monotheistic faiths lay claim to Abraham (as), to the extent of being called the Abrahamic faiths, but all humanity can lay claim to Imam Husain (as), for he rose up for the whole of humanity on universal principles. A Persian saying says about Husain (as)” you came to the world to unite, not to divide.”
Someone said, “It is in the very nature of great reformers that they belong to everybody, everywhere. Hussain's (as) noble deed is so relevant to the entire human race, that I am sure there is a far bigger audience waiting for him somewhere than the one he has already. All that is required is to draw people's attention.
The contemporary society, irrespective of race and religion, would do well to have a closer look at the Hero of Kerbala as his message transcends the barriers of caste and creed, race and religion. Advocates of human rights, sociologists, reformers, theologians, all included, will find "delightful wisdom, sweet instructions, and a meaning suited to their mind", in his story. His message is certainly not an exclusive preserve of any particular group. It embraces the entire human race.”
In the modern era, where free to do so, it seems that those educated about the tragedy of Kerbala with understanding of its implications have a duty to share that education with those willing and able to benefit. Imam Husain (as) and Karbala could be a point of unity on which to grow and increase understanding between cultures and religions.
We can see that people of all backgrounds and faiths can understand, relate to, and benefit from Imam Husain (as)’s service to humanity: this is illustrated numerous times through examples of people in history and present.
Mahatma Gandhi (Indian political and spiritual leader): “I learned from Hussein (as) how to achieve victory while being oppressed.”
Thomas Carlyle (Scottish historian and essayist): “The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Cerebella is that Husain (as) and his companions were steadfast believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority does not count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Husain (as), despite his minority, marvels me!”
Edward Gibbon (English historian and member of parliament): “In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Hosein (as) will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.” (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, London, 1911, volume 5, p. 391-392)
Charles Dickens (English novelist): “If Husain (as) had fought to quench his worldly desires…then I do not understand why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for Islam.”
Antoine Bara (Lebanese writer): “No battle in the modern and past history of mankind has earned more sympathy and admiration as well as provided more lessons than the martyrdom of Husayn (as) in the battle of Karbala.” (Husayn in Christian Ideology)
Edward G. Brown (Professor at the University of Cambridge): “…a reminder of that blood-stained field of Karbala, where the grandson of the Apostle of God fell, at length, tortured by thirst, and surround by the bodies of his murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then, sufficient to evoke, even in the most lukewarm and the heedless, the deepest emotion, the most frantic grief, and an exaltation of spirit before which pain, danger, and death shrink to unconsidered trifles.” (A Literary History of Persia, London, 1919, p.227)
In the modern era, a large segment of the world population is ignorant of Imam Husain (as). Education is lacking in this area. But even if someone is not Muslim, we can see from the mentioned examples that they can appreciate Imam Husain (as) and learning from his example can be a common ground. Abraham’s (as) covenant began before Judaism, before Christianity, before the life of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and Imam Husain (as), and today the message and sacrifice of his progeny is for all of us, all of humanity.
In the 1930’s Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the noted translator of Qur’an delivered a speech on the occasion of Ashura. In it he said, “I think you will agree that it is good that we should sit together, even people of different faiths, - sit together and consider the great historic event, in which were exemplified such soul-stirring virtues as those of unshaken faith, undaunted courage, thought for others, willing self-sacrifice, steadfastness in the right and unflinching war against the wrong. And Muharram has still the power to unite the different schools of thought in Islam, and make a powerful appeal to non-Muslims also.
Here are a few more recent and personal examples of the universal appeal of Imam Husain (as):
Shaikh Saleem Bhimji, writing about a conference on Imam Husain (as), said,
"If Imam Hussain's (as) movement was to free humanity from the shackles of servitude to others and to restore ‘freedom’, ‘justice’ and the noble moral traits which everyone seek in their lives, then where are the 'non-Muslims' during these life-changing lectures?" Undoubtedly, the Qur'an, the Prophet (SAW) and the Ahlul Bayt (as) are not the property of the Muslims alone! When introducing His Book, Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) states: “…guidance to mankind, with manifest proofs of guidance and the Distinguisher.” (2:185) The Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) is introduced as being the one who: "…Relieves them of their burdens and the shackles that were upon them…" (7:157). The Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) are compared to the Ark of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) and that "…Whoever accepts them shall be saved while those who reject them shall perish."
Then he related a telling incident: “When lecturing in South Africa during the month of Muharram some years ago, an elderly man approached me after my talk, and with tears in his eyes, 'protested' to me about the fact that for over 50 years of his life, he never "knew" Imam Hussain (as) and the Ahlul Bayt (as), and that from birth, he had "wasted" his life following "others" who were considered as 'leaders' of Islam. He had now formally accepted the Ahlul Bayt (as) into his life and taken them as his guides and intercessors with Allah and was struggling to capture as much of the Hussaini (as) spirit that he could in the little time he had left. In essence, he was complaining to "us" for not introducing the message of Kerbala to him and others like him.
Imam Muhammad Shirazi related a similar incident, when a Christian Italian tourist visited him to complain of not being allowed to enter the Tomb of Husain (as) in Kerbala. They had a lengthy discussion about Islam and Christianity, during which the scholar explained in detail the high character of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his splendid virtues, and deep and extensive knowledge, as well as his battles, which were for the sake of Allah and for the betterment of humanity. In the process he was so moved by the noble character of prophet Muhammad (SAW) as well as his words and teachings, that drops of tears rolled down his face. Ultimately the tourist, attracted by the sublime character and ethics of the Prophet (saw) and Ahlulbayt (as) and convinced of the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw), declared his belief in Islam and immediately returned to the tomb of Husain (as) to pay his sincere respects.
Some Christians may feel special connection to Karbala through the reported martyrdom of Wahb, a newly wed Christian whose elderly mother was helped by Imam Husain’s (as) as his caravan passed and who then joined him in his mission to the end, as mentioned in a book by Shaykh Muhammad Ishtihardi.
There have also been scholarly works on the history of several Hindu communities who have venerated Imam Husain (as), and many events of Sunnis joining with Shias to commemorate the tragedy as well. Many of you are aware that many Sunnis have written works and delivered speeches about Kerbala and participated in Moharram processions and events and a few continue to do so today.
The current era is one of division, one in which the universal message of Imam Husain (as) is in some instances being drowned out by noise of conflicts and persistence of ignorance. But there are always some people who are ready to sit and listen and will hear and respond to the call of Imam Husain (as) at some level along with us.
In the 1960’s the American Civil Rights movement turned to lessons of the past to achieve success, learning from Gandhi and indirectly also from Imam Husain (as) to help plan a successful resistance against injustice. This was a great victory, but even greater things are possible. The modern world can benefit from Imam Husain (as) by heeding the message and acting on it, and by sharing it with others.
Some steps are being taken to help include non-Muslims or non-Shias so that they can learn about Imam Husayn (as). Some communities hold an event called Husayn (as) Day, usually after Muharram sometime, when they specifically invite non-Muslim community leaders or members of churches they may have been building relationships with, or non-Muslim neighbors to come and learn about Husain (as) – usually this is in the form of a conference with lectures, but they could have activities presented by children and other activities as well. Communities have been doing processions in busy downtown areas in such a way that they give out pamphlets and make it informative and friendly for the viewers and passers-by. Also, communities have been doing blood drives at which they give out information about Imam Husain (as) to explain the reason for the drive – I think that was even talked about amongst the youth here. So there is room for creativity to share our love for Imam Husain (as) and the lessons we are supposed to learn and apply. And no matter what we do, the most important aspect of anything we do is that take the lessons to heart ourselves and do our very best to reform our own characters, obeying the mottos Live Like ‘Ali (as), Die Like Husayn (as), and Every Day is Ashura, Every Land is Karbala. People will be attracted to us if we are truly following Islam and emulating our Imams (sa) and that attraction may lead more and more people to follow Husayn (as).
In summation, the covenant of Abraham (as) mentioned in the Torah, Bible and Qur’an held a promise of upright progeny from his seed who would deliver and protect God’s religion for all of humanity. Imam Husain (as) and his camp fulfilled what was foretold about them with acceptance and courage, making a great sacrifice to preserve truth for every human being. If given the opportunity to know about the Tragedy of Karbala, people of all faiths can relate to this great sacrifice and its altruistic aims, and it can be a common ground for people to work together for good causes.
Some scholars have noted a relationship between the events we commemorate in Hajj and in Muharram, between the actions of Abraham (as) or Ishmael (as) and those of Imam Husain (as). My purpose in speaking is to provide information about that relationship and the universality to Imam Husain (as)’s aims and appeal that could be utilized for a better future.
In translation of the Qur’an it is written, “You will never find any change in Allah’s way of dealing.” (35:43) In all the scripture we find that every prophet or imam announced his successor or heir according to God’s will. Some of the important events and coming of prophets were predicted or prophesized about long before they came.
So a Muslim might naturally be curious about what surviving scripture from the People of Book has to say about certain aspects of religion, even though Muslims look at the Bible, Torah and other works used by the Jews and Christians today as being not identical to what was originally revealed.
Further, if something is contained in the works used by followers of all three faiths, it can potentially serve as a basis for a common understanding and communication between the followers.
So I think we might look at the Qur’an as well as what the People of the Book have today as we think about Imam Husain (as).
In the New Testament, Simon Peter, the first apostle of Prophet Esa (as), said in a sermon,
“For Moses (as) truly said unto the fathers, a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, and in all matters from him you will hear only what God says unto him. And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. And all the prophets from Samuel (as) and those that follow after, as many as have ever spoken, have foretold those days. You all are the children of prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham(as), and in thy seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed.” Acts 3:22-25
This is presented as referring to Jesus (as), but many Muslim scholars recognize it as referring to the Prophet Muhammad (saw), for, as the prophecy repeated by all the prophets says, Muhammad (saw) came through Ishmael’s (as) line rather than Ishaq’s (as), is more like Moses (as) than Jesus (as), and history records undoubtedly that he spoke the Qur’an as revealed from God, just like the prophecy suggests. Further, the prophecy says the prophet is for every soul, not just for a select population, just as Qur’an says about Muhammad (saw) “We sent thee not but unto mankind as a whole.” (34:28) – something claimed about no other prophet. This prophecy is also mentioned in the Torah or Old Testament, in Deuteronomy chapter 18.
And God says, “I will raise them a Prophet from among their brethren, and will put My words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Some Jewish scholars believed this prophet was Jeremiah (as), who lived around 600 BCE, but others still waited for this prophecy to be fulfilled.
Other Christian scripture verses that appear to refer to the coming of prophet Muhammad (saw) are contained in the Gospel of John:
Jesus (as) was asked, “Are you that Prophet”, the one referred to in Deuteronomy but not yet come? He answered them, “No.” Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you unto all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear from God that shall he speak.”
History records that some Christians after the time of Jesus (as) were still looking for signs of another prophet based on these writings, such that some of them became interested to find out about Muhammad (saw) during his lifetime.
Simon Peter also mentioned a covenant between God and Abraham (as) - “You all are the children of prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham (as), and in thy seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed.”
Torah and Qur’an also both mention this covenant
In the book of Genesis: And as for Ishmael (as), I have heard thee; Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiple him exceedingly: Twelve Princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation” (18:20) This is my covenant which ye shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised as a token of the covenant.
And in Surah Baqarah: God said, I will make thee an Imam for mankind. Said Abraham (as) – and my offspring? My covenant shall not reach the unjust. 2:124
So we see the covenant between God and Abraham (as) signified with circumcision is that the just offspring of Abraham (as) will be blessed and include Twelve Princes from the line of Ishmael (as), that some scholars believe refers to the twelve Imams (as). As a further sign of this, some scholars have said that the male direct descendants of Ishmael (as) including the Prophet (saw) and twelve Imams were born without foreskin, the covenant already being fulfilled in them.
Abraham (as) obeyed the command of God to take Hajar and Ishmael (as) to the desert where she struggled to find water for him. In Genesis it says, “Arise, lift up the lad Ishmael (as) and hold him in your hand for I will make him a great nation. And God opened hajar’s eyes and she saw a well of water and she went, and filled the bottle with water and gave the lad to drink.” When Ishmael (as) had grown, Abraham (as) and Ishmael (as) raised the foundation of the Kaaba, and prayed for just offspring according to the covenant. Then, Abraham (as) had a vision to slay Ishmael (as). He and Ishmael (as) were prepared to obey God with the sacrifice, but instead a ram was put in Ishmael’s (as) place, and according to the Qur’an, Abraham (as) heard, “O Abraham, of course thou hast faithfully fulfilled the dream, thou art of the truthful ones, but verily it is an open test, we have substituted it with a Greater Sacrifice. We have transferred it to later generations.” 37:105-108
According to the scholar S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali, the purpose of such a waylaid sacrifice is as a symbol of obedience and submission to the one God, but that the time was not right for the sacrifice to be able to serve the purpose of leading mankind as a whole towards a universal religion. That time would have to wait until the universal prophet came, and the third of the twelve princes would be put in Ishmael’s (as) place. Whereas Ishmael’s (as) thirst was abated with the well of Zam-Zam, and he and Abraham (as) was victorious in obeying God about the sacrifice while it was only an open test, Husain’s (as) thirst would go unabated and his sacrifice was real, the Greater Sacrifice for the universal religion for the well-being and guidance of all people who should pay heed to the message.
Thus it might be said that the hajj rituals re-enact the beginning of the covenant that is fulfilled in the line of prophets and imams descended from Ishmael (as) at the end of the calendar year, while the beginning of the next calendar year then marks the Great Sacrifice of Imam Husain (as), who turned away from Kaa’ba, who was denied water, and who by his sacrifice achieved the victory of preserving truth and guidance. The hajj –goers wear white shrouds similar to death shrouds. The male participants in hajj must be circumcised, honoring the covenant. It seems that there are many intimate connections between hajj and the sacrifice on Ashura to ponder about.
From the time of Abraham (as), then, it was known that this other, greater sacrifice would be coming. Shaikh Tabarsi reported that Adam (as), Zachariah (as), Abraham (as) and Ishmael (as), Solomon (as), Moses (as) and Jesus (as) all were informed about the upcoming event of the Great Sacrifice of Husain (as) to re-establish God’s religion in the earth.
Hadith report that shortly after the birth of Imam Husain (as), Gabriel told the Prophet Muhammad (saw) about Kerbala, saying, “He will at last be martyred with all his faithful supporters in a desert called Karbala on the banks of the Euphrates in Iraq, it will be a time when the religion of God will be in crisis and the existence of this truth for future generations of Mankind will rest upon the sacrifices of Husain (as), your grandson.”
There is one verse in the Book of Jeremiah in the Jewish Nevi’in or the Christian Old Testament that is sometimes suggested as being about Kerbala.
Jeremiah 46:10 says “For the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.” However, the context of this is about war between Babylon and Egypt around the same time as Jeremiah (as) lived. There may be a relationship in location but it seems a bit far-fetched to associate the verse with Imam Husain (as).
Incidentally, There is one ayah of Qur’an that may be about Jeremiah, although it appears more commentators say it is Ezra, who lived a few hundred years after Jeremiah (as).
Consider the one who passed by a ghost town Jerusalem and wondered, "How can GOD revive this after it had died?" GOD then put him to death for a hundred years, then resurrected him. He said, "How long have you stayed here?" He said, "I have been here a day, or part of the day." He said, "No! You have been here a hundred years. Yet, look at your food and drink; they did not spoil. Look at your donkey - we thus render you a lesson for the people. Now, note how we construct the bones, then cover them with flesh." When he realized what had happened, he said, "Now I know that GOD is Omnipotent." 2:259
Aside from the ayah about the Greater Sacrifice, it is reported from Shaikh Tabarsi that the Eleventh Imam, Hasan Askari (as) said that the Holy Prophet (saw) was informed of the tragedy of Karbala and that it is confined in the symbol letters in the Qur’an – “Kof Ha Ya Ain Saad of Surah Maryam.
Kaf – Karbala
Ha – Halakat (destruction/death/perdition)
Ya – Yazeed
Ain – Atash (thirst)
Saad - Sabr e Husain (as) – patience and fortitude of Imam Husain (as) "These words are from the concealed codes regarding which Allah informed His Servant the Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) and regarding which it was revealed to the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.s).
The incident is as follows :
Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) asked his Lord to teach him the names of the Five Pure Ones, to which Jibra'eel descended and taught him the five names. Whenever Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) recited the four names, Mohammad (s.a.w.s), Ali (a.s), Fatemah (a.s) and Hasan (a.s), his heart would be enlightened and his sorrow would part away, but when he took the name of Husain (a.s) he would become sorrowful and turn restless. One day he asked Allah Almighty, "My Lord! When I utter the names of these four Pure Personalities, my sorrow parts away, but when I take the name of Husain (as), I turn sorrowful and weep & wail." Then Allah, the Mighty the Sublime revealed to him regarding Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ain, Swad. Kaf stands for Karbala, and Ha for Halakah (perdition) of the Prophet's Household, Ya for Yazeed, the oppresser and murderer of Husain (a.s), Ain for Atash (thirst), and Swad for (Sabr) Patience and forbearance of Husain (as). When Prophet Zakariyah (as) heard this he was so much grieved that for three consecutive days he refused to come out of his place of worship and did not permit people to meet him, and remained grief-stricken and wept profusely. And he recited the following elegy: O Lord! Will you let the best of Creatures see the plight of his son? O Lord! Will you allow this disaster to fall upon his House-hold? O Lord! Will you let Ali (as) and Fatemah (as) wear the dress of grief and will they witness this calamity"? He (Prophet Zakariyah (as)) would always say, "O Lord!
Bestow upon me with a son who would be the light of my eyes in my old-age, and when you present me with a son make my love intense for him and then let me taste the grief of his loss as Your Friend Mohammad (s.a.w.s) who will mourn the death of his son. Thus Allah blessed Prophet Zakariyah (a.s) with a son Prophet Yahya (a.s) whose death was mourned by Prophet Zakariyah (as). Prophet Yahya (a.s)'s period of (his mother's) pregnancy was six months similar to that of Imam Husain (a.s)."
However, it is also said about these and other such letters beginning surahs of the Qur’an that many interpretations have been forwarded and manipulated by some commentators but they are based upon conjecture, lacking definite authority. The Imams (as) said that these letters are a means of reaching the higher realms of true knowledge available in the Qur’an but reserved for the chosen representatives of Allah (swt).
Another selection in Qur’an associated with Kerbala in commentaries I’ve seen in English 2:154 and 155 reads, “And call not those who are slain in the way of Allah "dead." Nay, they are living, only ye perceive not. "And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient.
It is reported that 154 was first revealed for the slain at the Battle of Badr, but that, in the words of Mir Ahmed Ali, “only once in the history of the world all kinds of trials mentioned in this verse to the maximum conceivable degree have been happily and triumphantly endured and coped with by Imam Husain (as) and his family and friends in the desert of Karbala. Imam Sadiq (as) is quoted in Al-Burhan fi Tafsir il Qur’an as saying that the glad tidings to the patient refers not only to Hereafter, but also means advent of the Mahdi (as), and that all those tribulations before it are signs of his advent. So if these verses are related to Kerbala, then they would appear to have other meanings – such as the general meaning, the Battle of Badr and signs of the end days, as well.
So to this point we see that the tragedy Kerbala itself may or may not be indirectly suggested in the scriptures, but a trend in the various sources suggests that the covenant of Abraham (as) is fulfilled in his progeny, to include the descendants of Ishmael (as) up to Muhammad (saw) and the Imams (as), and that it is plausible that the sacrifice of Ishmael (as) put off for the Tremendous Sacrifice of a later generation refers to the sacrifice of Imam Husain (as), and that its delay was for the fulfillment of the purpose that its message be for all mankind, not a particular sect or tribe of mankind, at a time when this message of God’s religion had been sent for all people.
If we examine the causes of the tragedy of Karbala and the actions of Imam Husain (as) and his party, we see that the stand was one for upholding and saving truth for the benefit of all people of the present and future and opposing oppression and corruption.
All the great monotheistic faiths lay claim to Abraham (as), to the extent of being called the Abrahamic faiths, but all humanity can lay claim to Imam Husain (as), for he rose up for the whole of humanity on universal principles. A Persian saying says about Husain (as)” you came to the world to unite, not to divide.”
Someone said, “It is in the very nature of great reformers that they belong to everybody, everywhere. Hussain's (as) noble deed is so relevant to the entire human race, that I am sure there is a far bigger audience waiting for him somewhere than the one he has already. All that is required is to draw people's attention.
The contemporary society, irrespective of race and religion, would do well to have a closer look at the Hero of Kerbala as his message transcends the barriers of caste and creed, race and religion. Advocates of human rights, sociologists, reformers, theologians, all included, will find "delightful wisdom, sweet instructions, and a meaning suited to their mind", in his story. His message is certainly not an exclusive preserve of any particular group. It embraces the entire human race.”
In the modern era, where free to do so, it seems that those educated about the tragedy of Kerbala with understanding of its implications have a duty to share that education with those willing and able to benefit. Imam Husain (as) and Karbala could be a point of unity on which to grow and increase understanding between cultures and religions.
We can see that people of all backgrounds and faiths can understand, relate to, and benefit from Imam Husain (as)’s service to humanity: this is illustrated numerous times through examples of people in history and present.
Mahatma Gandhi (Indian political and spiritual leader): “I learned from Hussein (as) how to achieve victory while being oppressed.”
Thomas Carlyle (Scottish historian and essayist): “The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Cerebella is that Husain (as) and his companions were steadfast believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority does not count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Husain (as), despite his minority, marvels me!”
Edward Gibbon (English historian and member of parliament): “In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Hosein (as) will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.” (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, London, 1911, volume 5, p. 391-392)
Charles Dickens (English novelist): “If Husain (as) had fought to quench his worldly desires…then I do not understand why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for Islam.”
Antoine Bara (Lebanese writer): “No battle in the modern and past history of mankind has earned more sympathy and admiration as well as provided more lessons than the martyrdom of Husayn (as) in the battle of Karbala.” (Husayn in Christian Ideology)
Edward G. Brown (Professor at the University of Cambridge): “…a reminder of that blood-stained field of Karbala, where the grandson of the Apostle of God fell, at length, tortured by thirst, and surround by the bodies of his murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then, sufficient to evoke, even in the most lukewarm and the heedless, the deepest emotion, the most frantic grief, and an exaltation of spirit before which pain, danger, and death shrink to unconsidered trifles.” (A Literary History of Persia, London, 1919, p.227)
In the modern era, a large segment of the world population is ignorant of Imam Husain (as). Education is lacking in this area. But even if someone is not Muslim, we can see from the mentioned examples that they can appreciate Imam Husain (as) and learning from his example can be a common ground. Abraham’s (as) covenant began before Judaism, before Christianity, before the life of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and Imam Husain (as), and today the message and sacrifice of his progeny is for all of us, all of humanity.
In the 1930’s Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the noted translator of Qur’an delivered a speech on the occasion of Ashura. In it he said, “I think you will agree that it is good that we should sit together, even people of different faiths, - sit together and consider the great historic event, in which were exemplified such soul-stirring virtues as those of unshaken faith, undaunted courage, thought for others, willing self-sacrifice, steadfastness in the right and unflinching war against the wrong. And Muharram has still the power to unite the different schools of thought in Islam, and make a powerful appeal to non-Muslims also.
Here are a few more recent and personal examples of the universal appeal of Imam Husain (as):
Shaikh Saleem Bhimji, writing about a conference on Imam Husain (as), said,
"If Imam Hussain's (as) movement was to free humanity from the shackles of servitude to others and to restore ‘freedom’, ‘justice’ and the noble moral traits which everyone seek in their lives, then where are the 'non-Muslims' during these life-changing lectures?" Undoubtedly, the Qur'an, the Prophet (SAW) and the Ahlul Bayt (as) are not the property of the Muslims alone! When introducing His Book, Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) states: “…guidance to mankind, with manifest proofs of guidance and the Distinguisher.” (2:185) The Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) is introduced as being the one who: "…Relieves them of their burdens and the shackles that were upon them…" (7:157). The Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) are compared to the Ark of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) and that "…Whoever accepts them shall be saved while those who reject them shall perish."
Then he related a telling incident: “When lecturing in South Africa during the month of Muharram some years ago, an elderly man approached me after my talk, and with tears in his eyes, 'protested' to me about the fact that for over 50 years of his life, he never "knew" Imam Hussain (as) and the Ahlul Bayt (as), and that from birth, he had "wasted" his life following "others" who were considered as 'leaders' of Islam. He had now formally accepted the Ahlul Bayt (as) into his life and taken them as his guides and intercessors with Allah and was struggling to capture as much of the Hussaini (as) spirit that he could in the little time he had left. In essence, he was complaining to "us" for not introducing the message of Kerbala to him and others like him.
Imam Muhammad Shirazi related a similar incident, when a Christian Italian tourist visited him to complain of not being allowed to enter the Tomb of Husain (as) in Kerbala. They had a lengthy discussion about Islam and Christianity, during which the scholar explained in detail the high character of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his splendid virtues, and deep and extensive knowledge, as well as his battles, which were for the sake of Allah and for the betterment of humanity. In the process he was so moved by the noble character of prophet Muhammad (SAW) as well as his words and teachings, that drops of tears rolled down his face. Ultimately the tourist, attracted by the sublime character and ethics of the Prophet (saw) and Ahlulbayt (as) and convinced of the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw), declared his belief in Islam and immediately returned to the tomb of Husain (as) to pay his sincere respects.
Some Christians may feel special connection to Karbala through the reported martyrdom of Wahb, a newly wed Christian whose elderly mother was helped by Imam Husain’s (as) as his caravan passed and who then joined him in his mission to the end, as mentioned in a book by Shaykh Muhammad Ishtihardi.
There have also been scholarly works on the history of several Hindu communities who have venerated Imam Husain (as), and many events of Sunnis joining with Shias to commemorate the tragedy as well. Many of you are aware that many Sunnis have written works and delivered speeches about Kerbala and participated in Moharram processions and events and a few continue to do so today.
The current era is one of division, one in which the universal message of Imam Husain (as) is in some instances being drowned out by noise of conflicts and persistence of ignorance. But there are always some people who are ready to sit and listen and will hear and respond to the call of Imam Husain (as) at some level along with us.
In the 1960’s the American Civil Rights movement turned to lessons of the past to achieve success, learning from Gandhi and indirectly also from Imam Husain (as) to help plan a successful resistance against injustice. This was a great victory, but even greater things are possible. The modern world can benefit from Imam Husain (as) by heeding the message and acting on it, and by sharing it with others.
Some steps are being taken to help include non-Muslims or non-Shias so that they can learn about Imam Husayn (as). Some communities hold an event called Husayn (as) Day, usually after Muharram sometime, when they specifically invite non-Muslim community leaders or members of churches they may have been building relationships with, or non-Muslim neighbors to come and learn about Husain (as) – usually this is in the form of a conference with lectures, but they could have activities presented by children and other activities as well. Communities have been doing processions in busy downtown areas in such a way that they give out pamphlets and make it informative and friendly for the viewers and passers-by. Also, communities have been doing blood drives at which they give out information about Imam Husain (as) to explain the reason for the drive – I think that was even talked about amongst the youth here. So there is room for creativity to share our love for Imam Husain (as) and the lessons we are supposed to learn and apply. And no matter what we do, the most important aspect of anything we do is that take the lessons to heart ourselves and do our very best to reform our own characters, obeying the mottos Live Like ‘Ali (as), Die Like Husayn (as), and Every Day is Ashura, Every Land is Karbala. People will be attracted to us if we are truly following Islam and emulating our Imams (sa) and that attraction may lead more and more people to follow Husayn (as).
In summation, the covenant of Abraham (as) mentioned in the Torah, Bible and Qur’an held a promise of upright progeny from his seed who would deliver and protect God’s religion for all of humanity. Imam Husain (as) and his camp fulfilled what was foretold about them with acceptance and courage, making a great sacrifice to preserve truth for every human being. If given the opportunity to know about the Tragedy of Karbala, people of all faiths can relate to this great sacrifice and its altruistic aims, and it can be a common ground for people to work together for good causes.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
a brief poem by Ameen Khorasanee
Men weep for you today in many lands
and on their breasts in bitter anguish beat
and in sad, mournful tunes the tales repeat
of how you lost your life upon on the sands
You nobly spurned the tyrant’s base demands
And chose death to prevent your soul’s defeat
Became a martyr with unflinching feet
For these well may one weep who understands.
This sorrow at your death, despite the years
Is still as fresh, which time as failed to quell.
In every heart this day new pain appears
And of your sufferings men each other tell.
They see a vision through slow-falling tears
Of that lone battle where athirst you fell.
and on their breasts in bitter anguish beat
and in sad, mournful tunes the tales repeat
of how you lost your life upon on the sands
You nobly spurned the tyrant’s base demands
And chose death to prevent your soul’s defeat
Became a martyr with unflinching feet
For these well may one weep who understands.
This sorrow at your death, despite the years
Is still as fresh, which time as failed to quell.
In every heart this day new pain appears
And of your sufferings men each other tell.
They see a vision through slow-falling tears
Of that lone battle where athirst you fell.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Reform Lessons from Ashura
One of the primary objectives of commemorating the tragedy of Karbala and mourning the martyrs and victims has been to educate and inspire movements of self-reform and societal reform. This is noted in many works. For example, according to Shaykh Muhammed Mehdi Shams al-Din in his work The Rising of Al-Husayn: Its Impact on the Consciousness of Muslim Society, the Imams (as) promoted visitation (ziyara) and lamentation of the tragedy of Karbala for the purpose of putting man into “living and direct contact with the sources of Islam in thought and ideology, in application and practice,” and further, that when a Shia undertakes these tasks, he or she makes a commitment to “remain faithful to their [Ahlulbayt’s (as)] covenant, their faith and their practice.” It is not enough for the Shia to honor, venerate, and mourn and neglect the educational and reformational objectives of Muharram commemoration.
In light of this, we have generally achieved high awareness and consistent education within our communities and selves about the pure, upright aims of Imam Husain (as) and those with him, juxtaposed against the horrific cruelty and debauchery of the Umayyad Regime. The message to reform ourselves and our communities to be aligned against the likes of Yazid is heard loud and clear so that this message is even somewhat in the consciousness of the larger world population aside from the Ithna-Asharis. Further, we see efforts increasing to make that consciousness spread as our communities expand into traditionally non-Muslim lands. And this is not an unnecessary task. The danger of falling into the path of utter misguidance or even obstinate opposition to the path put forward by the Prophet Muhammad (saw) at the command of Allah swt is an ever present threat and reality.
However, in the interest of reform, this is not sufficient. If we look at the tragedy of Karbala, there were not just two sides of the event, but more. It was not merely the likes of Yazid versus the likes of Imam Husain (as) and his camp. There is another body of people I feel we should think about very deeply, for their actions and their fates carry potentially urgent and directly applicable lessons for us if we are to improve ourselves. There were many people who claimed to be the lovers of Ahlulbayt (as) and the followers of their Imam (as), with their allegiance to him fully. But after the tragedy took place, they were left with a great burden of their own action or inaction. Consider the Kufans who invited Imam Husain (as) and were eager for him and claimed to be ready to support him, follow him, and have him as their guide and leader. In truth, many of them were not prepared for their Imam (as), and when threatened they responded in a way to seek their safety, essentially abandoning their invited leader (as) and his close followers to the tragedy. Many of these lived the rest of their lives in intense regret.
One example is the poet ‘Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hurr al-Ju’fi. He was a leader in Kufa who had refused to help Imam Husain (as). When the tragedy occurred, he realized the gravity of his mistake, but then it was too late. He spent the rest of his life trying to recover from his error; he proclaimed rebellion against the Umayyads, he went to Karbala and mourned the victims, and he wrote poetry blaming himself for his failure to support Husain (as), and he struggled with life-long regret for his failure.
Another example is ‘Awf ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Ahmar al-Azdi, who revolted against the Umayyads under the leadership of Sulayman ibn Surad al-Khuiza’i. Records are said to indicate he reviled himself and others like him who sent for Husain (as) with false promises but were not with him (as) at the battle to defend him. He spent the rest of his life wishing he had been there, and all his actions after tried to make amends for his not being there with his Imam (as).
These are just two examples of a large number of people. The lessons we must take from the tragedy of Karbala should include careful reflection about these people, what led them to make the decisions they made before Karbala, and how they struggled with it after. For, if the danger of Yazid-like traits existing in ourselves and our communities is real, then the danger of being like this regretful number is less a danger than a common unfortunate reality. In the modern era, instead of calling for Imam Husain (as), we are calling for his pure descendant, Imam Mahdi (as). But to await for him properly, we have to reform ourselves not just to the extent of removing all Yazid-like traits, but to go further, God willing, and achieve a state as individuals and as a community that were we to be the modern counterparts of the Kufans and other Shia in the time of Imam Husain (as), that we would behave and make decisions in such a way that we would not end up being regretful for not doing more to stand with our Imam (as). Were our Imam (as) to return today, once again we would be likely to see not a pure juxtaposition of good versus evil, but also a number of people who claim to love the Imam (as) and to be ready to serve him, but when put to the test they may fail to stand on either side, preferring to wait things out and to let others sacrifice. If we do not want ourselves counted among their number, then we should take steps now to learn from the Kufans in the events surrounding the martyrdom of Imam Husain (as).
True progress and reform requires not only desire and hope, but commitment and sacrifice. If we want to move forward we have to make deliberate and continual steps, starting from the very basics of our deen, and couple this with regular, intense self-examination and passion for the goal. Reform is an exercise in which you get out what you put in. If we expend little of ourselves and reflect little, then we can expect little in return. We should not be content with that outcome. We should not be satisfied to say we are not like Yazid, but we should continue to push ourselves so that, God willing, we will never face the heart-breaking remorse and regret like ‘Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hurr al-Ju’fi.
In light of this, we have generally achieved high awareness and consistent education within our communities and selves about the pure, upright aims of Imam Husain (as) and those with him, juxtaposed against the horrific cruelty and debauchery of the Umayyad Regime. The message to reform ourselves and our communities to be aligned against the likes of Yazid is heard loud and clear so that this message is even somewhat in the consciousness of the larger world population aside from the Ithna-Asharis. Further, we see efforts increasing to make that consciousness spread as our communities expand into traditionally non-Muslim lands. And this is not an unnecessary task. The danger of falling into the path of utter misguidance or even obstinate opposition to the path put forward by the Prophet Muhammad (saw) at the command of Allah swt is an ever present threat and reality.
However, in the interest of reform, this is not sufficient. If we look at the tragedy of Karbala, there were not just two sides of the event, but more. It was not merely the likes of Yazid versus the likes of Imam Husain (as) and his camp. There is another body of people I feel we should think about very deeply, for their actions and their fates carry potentially urgent and directly applicable lessons for us if we are to improve ourselves. There were many people who claimed to be the lovers of Ahlulbayt (as) and the followers of their Imam (as), with their allegiance to him fully. But after the tragedy took place, they were left with a great burden of their own action or inaction. Consider the Kufans who invited Imam Husain (as) and were eager for him and claimed to be ready to support him, follow him, and have him as their guide and leader. In truth, many of them were not prepared for their Imam (as), and when threatened they responded in a way to seek their safety, essentially abandoning their invited leader (as) and his close followers to the tragedy. Many of these lived the rest of their lives in intense regret.
One example is the poet ‘Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hurr al-Ju’fi. He was a leader in Kufa who had refused to help Imam Husain (as). When the tragedy occurred, he realized the gravity of his mistake, but then it was too late. He spent the rest of his life trying to recover from his error; he proclaimed rebellion against the Umayyads, he went to Karbala and mourned the victims, and he wrote poetry blaming himself for his failure to support Husain (as), and he struggled with life-long regret for his failure.
Another example is ‘Awf ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Ahmar al-Azdi, who revolted against the Umayyads under the leadership of Sulayman ibn Surad al-Khuiza’i. Records are said to indicate he reviled himself and others like him who sent for Husain (as) with false promises but were not with him (as) at the battle to defend him. He spent the rest of his life wishing he had been there, and all his actions after tried to make amends for his not being there with his Imam (as).
These are just two examples of a large number of people. The lessons we must take from the tragedy of Karbala should include careful reflection about these people, what led them to make the decisions they made before Karbala, and how they struggled with it after. For, if the danger of Yazid-like traits existing in ourselves and our communities is real, then the danger of being like this regretful number is less a danger than a common unfortunate reality. In the modern era, instead of calling for Imam Husain (as), we are calling for his pure descendant, Imam Mahdi (as). But to await for him properly, we have to reform ourselves not just to the extent of removing all Yazid-like traits, but to go further, God willing, and achieve a state as individuals and as a community that were we to be the modern counterparts of the Kufans and other Shia in the time of Imam Husain (as), that we would behave and make decisions in such a way that we would not end up being regretful for not doing more to stand with our Imam (as). Were our Imam (as) to return today, once again we would be likely to see not a pure juxtaposition of good versus evil, but also a number of people who claim to love the Imam (as) and to be ready to serve him, but when put to the test they may fail to stand on either side, preferring to wait things out and to let others sacrifice. If we do not want ourselves counted among their number, then we should take steps now to learn from the Kufans in the events surrounding the martyrdom of Imam Husain (as).
True progress and reform requires not only desire and hope, but commitment and sacrifice. If we want to move forward we have to make deliberate and continual steps, starting from the very basics of our deen, and couple this with regular, intense self-examination and passion for the goal. Reform is an exercise in which you get out what you put in. If we expend little of ourselves and reflect little, then we can expect little in return. We should not be content with that outcome. We should not be satisfied to say we are not like Yazid, but we should continue to push ourselves so that, God willing, we will never face the heart-breaking remorse and regret like ‘Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hurr al-Ju’fi.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The Meaning of As-Salam Alaikum
The following is from a commentary of Ziyarat e Ashura in translation process by Shaykh Saleem Bhimji:
The commentary is over the part that says
The true meaning of "As-Salam Alaikum" is not a mere "Hi", "Hello", "How are you" as we are accustomed to using today - it has a much deeper meaning than just a standard greeting. In actuality, there are three meanings for this greeting:
1. As-Salam, as we know, is one of the names of Allah. Thus, when we say "As-Salam Alaikum" we are actually saying that may the trait of Allah (as-Salam or peace and tranquility_ be upon you and may He protect you;
2. As-Salam is also in the meaning of submission or surrender. Thus, when we say "As-Salam Alaikum" we are actually saying that we submit to what you would like for us to do (obviously within the limits of the Shariah);
3. As-Salam is also in the meaning of protection or safety. Thus in this meaning, when we greet another believer with "As-Salam Alaikum" we are actually guaanteeing our believing brother or sister protection from any evil from ourselves and that we will not do a single thing to harm them - either physically or even spiritually. Not only would we not harm them with our hands, but we will also not cause them grief with our tongue...
Thus when we address Abi Abdillah and say "As-Salamu Alaika Yaa Aba Abdillah" we are saying that: 'May the peace and tranquility which Allah bestows upon His creations also be showered upon you. Truly, we submit to your mission and commandments and whatever you ask us to do. In addition, we shall not do a single thing to hurt you - either your physical presence or more importantly, your feelings.'
In actuality, we are promising the Imam that we shall not break the laws of Allah (since our Imam grieves when he sees us doing this) nor will we do anything to trample on the sacred goals and objectives which he laid down his life to protect.
The commentary is over the part that says
Peace be upon you Ya Aba Abdillah, Peace be upon you O son of the Messenger of Allah, Peace be upon you O son of the Commander of the FAithful and the son of the leader of the inheritors (of the Prophet); Peace be upon you O son of Fatimah, the leader of the women of the entire Universe.
The true meaning of "As-Salam Alaikum" is not a mere "Hi", "Hello", "How are you" as we are accustomed to using today - it has a much deeper meaning than just a standard greeting. In actuality, there are three meanings for this greeting:
1. As-Salam, as we know, is one of the names of Allah. Thus, when we say "As-Salam Alaikum" we are actually saying that may the trait of Allah (as-Salam or peace and tranquility_ be upon you and may He protect you;
2. As-Salam is also in the meaning of submission or surrender. Thus, when we say "As-Salam Alaikum" we are actually saying that we submit to what you would like for us to do (obviously within the limits of the Shariah);
3. As-Salam is also in the meaning of protection or safety. Thus in this meaning, when we greet another believer with "As-Salam Alaikum" we are actually guaanteeing our believing brother or sister protection from any evil from ourselves and that we will not do a single thing to harm them - either physically or even spiritually. Not only would we not harm them with our hands, but we will also not cause them grief with our tongue...
Thus when we address Abi Abdillah and say "As-Salamu Alaika Yaa Aba Abdillah" we are saying that: 'May the peace and tranquility which Allah bestows upon His creations also be showered upon you. Truly, we submit to your mission and commandments and whatever you ask us to do. In addition, we shall not do a single thing to hurt you - either your physical presence or more importantly, your feelings.'
In actuality, we are promising the Imam that we shall not break the laws of Allah (since our Imam grieves when he sees us doing this) nor will we do anything to trample on the sacred goals and objectives which he laid down his life to protect.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Ya Hussein! and Amaal of Ashura
Read more at this great blog by the author of Soaring to the Beloved, Manifestations of the All-Merciful, and more!
Anyone looking for Amaal of Ashura - please visit this location at duas.org.
May Allah reward us greatly for our grief for Hussain (as), and may He include us among those who avenge him with His representative the Imam Mahdi from the Household of the Prophet (as).
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Abbas Bandali - very good - Muharram around the world
A few lines from a book I'm reading:
"When the Imams of the Holy Family made the ziyara into an intellectual, political and social institution, they intended to put Shi'ite man in living and direct contact with the sources of his Islam in thought and ideology, in application and practice.... Each of the approved pilgrimages includes a commitment before God which the Shi'ite man makes, particularly, with the person to whom the pilgrimage is made and, generally, with the Apostle and the Imams of the Holy Family, that he will remain faithful to their covenant, their faith and their practice....It also makes clear the extent of the burden of error into which Shi'ite man has fallen, as well as some of his spiritual leaders, when he conceives of the pilgrimage as being only a form of honor and veneration of a certain person and neglects the numerous aspects of the educational objectives which it aims at." -The Rising of Al Husayn (as): Its Impact on the Consciousness of the Muslim Society by Shaykh Muhammmed Mehdi Shams Al-Din
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Good Muharram articles
The Khoei Center's publication Al-Huda has some good, not too long, articles related to Ashura.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Karbala When Skies Wept Blood
I posted the video back in September.
So you can view it back there, or here it is again:
This is the full version.
So you can view it back there, or here it is again:
This is the full version.
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