To:

"Syed Quadri" <sjquadri@yahoo.com>

Bismillahirrahmannirraheem wassalato wassalaamo ala rasulihil karim wa ala

ahlihi wa ashabihi wa shuhadae karbala wa barik wa sallim,
Assalam
 alaikum 
wa rahmathullahi tabarak wa ta'ala wa barakathu 

Excerpted from "Ashura - Lest We Forget" by Sadullah Khan

Imam Husayn’s martyrdom at Karbala provides evidence of the

moral victory of right over wrong, of virtue over vice, of principle
over compromise, of the oppressed over the oppressor, of the denied
over the denier; the ultimate victory of blood over sword.

‘Ashura - Lest We Forget 

Excerpted from "Ashura - Lest We Forget" by Sadullah Khan

The tenth day of the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar marks
a significant day in the Muslim calendar.

‘Ashura, then and now 

The tenth of Muharram is the day on which, according to some

reports, Allah saved Prophet Moses/Musa (pbuh) from the tyrannical
Pharaoh, that prototype of despotic authority. There are many
pharaoh-like authorities who have appeared through history and
there were those incorrigible standard-bearers of justice who
opposed them. In the post-Prophetic period, one such person was
Imam Husayn who took on the corruption of despotic Yazid and laid
down his life on tenth Muharram in 61 AH (680 CE); an event that
serves as a milestone in the history of the faithful; the martyrdom of
the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad at Karbala in Iraq.

Moses & Pharoah, Husayn & Yazid 

The valiant Prophet Moses did not fight Pharaoh to become king,
neither did the righteous Imam Husayn take on the army of the
corrupt Yazid merely to become caliph. Their effort was in fulfillment
of moral obligation which serves as a universal message which has
left a lasting legacy of struggle and resistance against corruption
and injustice. The lesson is not only in that they were prepared to
fight for what is right, but were also willing to die for it; selflessness
not selfishness, humility not ego, principle not power. 

Such Musawi and Husayn struggle has always raged on in a

corrupted world. As ‘allama Iqbal said; Musa-o Fira’un Shabbīr-o
Yazīd In do quwwataz hayat āmad padīd. "Ever since the beginning,
two opposing forces have been at war - virtue and vice. Thus,
Prophet Musa rose against Pharoah and Shabbir (Imam Husayn)
rose against Yazid"

Tragic Event 

So cowardly and gruesome was the killing of Imam Husayn that the
renowned Arab historian Al-Fakhri wrote: "This is a catastrophe,
whereof I care not to speak at length, deeming it a like too grievous
and too horrible. For it was indeed a catastrophe so odious that a
more shameful incident has not occurred in Muslim history. There
occurred such a foul massacre as to cause any person’s flesh to
creep with horror. Again I have dispensed with my long description
of this horrific incident because of its notoriety, for it is the most
lamented of all catastrophes. " Western historian, Dr Edward Browne
in his ‘a Literary History of Persia’ writes: "as a reminder, the blood-
stained field of Karbala where the grandson of the apostle of God fell
at length, tortured by thirst and surrounded by the bodies of his
murdered family; has been at any time since then been sufficient to
evoke, even in the most lukewarm and heedless, the deepest
emotion, the most frantic grief and the exaltation of spirit before
which pain, danger, and death shrink to unconsidered trifles."
Professor E. Gibbon writes , "Ina distant age and clime the tragic
scene of the death of Husayn will awaken the sympathy of the
coldest reader." [Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire] 

Tragedy Compounded 

To compound the tragedy, it was the grandson of the final

Messenger (and his close relatives) who were brutally killed. It was
a massacre of the progeny of the final Prophet of Allah.

 That family of the prophet of whom Allah invokes us

through the Qur’an; 
"Say (to the people, O Muhammad)! I ask of you no reward
except that you love my family." [Qur'an 42:23]. 
It was regarding this Qur’anic verse that Imam Shaf’i wrote in
his poetry ..
  
Yaaala-bayti Rasulillahi hubbakum 
Fardun minaalhi fil Qur’ani anzalah 
Yakfikum min ‘azimil fakhri annakum 
Man lam yusalli ‘alaykum la salata lah 

"O Family of the Prophet! Allah has made it obligatory on us in

the Qur’an to love you. It is a matter of pride for you that
without saluting you our salutations (salawaat) are invalid."

ThatHusayn who, together with his brother, is considered

by the Prophet as sayyida shabābiahlil Jannah "leaders of the
youth of Paradise" [Sunanal-Tirmidhi] 

ThatHusayn who carried the traits of the Prophet and who

many companions considered as an image of his grandfather.
In the words of the poet Josh Malihabadi  
Of the attributes of the Prophet, the perceiver was Husayn, 
Of the holiness of the Prophet, the inheritor was Husayn. 

That
Husayn of whom the Prophet said,
 "Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn. Allah loves
whoever loves Husayn." [Sunanal-Tirmidhi] 

Yet, Imam Husayn was martyred at the hands of those who

considered themselves followers of our beloved Prophet Muhammad,
those who claimed to act in the name of Islam yet unremorsefully
and shamelessly were prepared to obliterate its true exponent;
those who (like so many today) are prepared to kill for Islam yet are
unable to live by it. Yes, Imam Husayn was martyred at the hands of
those who would kiss the Black Stone (because the Prophet kissed
it), yet cut off the precious head of that dear grandson of the
Prophet, a head which the Prophet so often caressed and kissed with
affection

Continuing the Abrahamic Tradition 

We bade farewell to the old year by celebrating Prophet Ibrahim’s

commitment to Allah characterized by his valor against Nimrud, and
proven through his willingness to sacrifice his patient son, Prophet
Isma’il (pbuh). Now we welcome the new year by commemorating
the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s beloved grandson, Imam
 Husayn who fought to uphold the principles of his grandfather
Prophet Muhammad and his forefather Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh).

 (O Allah, Bless Our Master Muhammad and the family of our Master
Muhammad as You blessed our forefather Ibrahim and the family of
our forefather Ibrahim.) The Makkan struggle for the manifesting
and upholding the values of Islam was founded with love and
veracity by the family of Ibrahim and continued with loveand
patience through the family of Muhammad (pbuh), as ‘allama Iqbal
says; 

Sidq-e Khalil bhi hay ishq, sabr-e Husayn bhi hay ishq
Ma’rika-e-wujud mayn Badr-o-Hunayn bhi hay ishq 

"The veracity of Prophet Ibrahim is love, so too the patient

perseverance of Imam Husayn is love. Just as Prophet Muhammad’s
selfless struggle at Badr and Hunayn too was love (for Allah, truth
and justice)." 

Iqbal thus concluded; Gharib-o sada o- rangeen hay dastane haram,

nehayat is ki Husayn, ibtida hay Isma’il"  
"Strange, simple yet colorful is the story of the haram. It begins with
Prophet Isma’iland ends with Imam Husayn."

Outstanding Example of Husayn 

The special status of Imam Husayn in Muslim history has in large

measure been due to the his sacrifice of family, possession, and life
itself in the cause of justice in the way of Allah. His courage,
sincerity, steadfastness, dignity, and unwavering devotion in times
of great crisis - have inspired and continues to inspire people ofall
walks of life. His struggle and eventual martyrdom became a source
of strength and endurance for the oppressed in times of suffering,
persecution and oppression. He has been morally on the side of
every person against unjust rulers, reproaching tyrants and
encouraging the oppressed to persist in their struggle for justice,
freedom and dignity. "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 in the battle
of Karbala." [antoine Bara in 'Husayn in Christian Ideology']

Perhaps the most fitting of all epithets regarding Imam Husayn was
by one of the greatest spiritual luminaries the world has ever known,
Khwajah Mo’inuddin Chisti (may Allah sanctify his status), who said
É

Shah ast Hussain, badshah ast Hussain, 

Deen ast Hussain, deen-e panah ast Hussain, 
Sar dad, na dad dast, dar dast-e-yazid, 
Haqa key binaey La ilaha ilallah ast Hussain 

Husayn is the master, Husayn is the king,

Husayn is the symbol of faith, Husayn is the defender of
faith,
He gave his life rather than allegiance to Yazid 
Verily the foundation of La’illah illa-allah is Husayn.

Call of ‘Ashura 

We must reflect on that monumental moment, over thirteen hundred

and fifty years ago, on the 10th day of Muharram 61 AH (680 CE)
just before ‘Asr prayer, when Imam Husayn stood on a sand-dune at
Karbala in Iraq. Blood was flowing all over his body from the wounds
he had suffered; having lost virtually everything that day. He had
carried several dead bodies into his camp and even buried his dear
infant child. He looked at the murdered bodies of his loved ones.
Tears flowed from his eyes. He looked skyward and prayed; "O Allah!
In You I place my trust amid all grief. You are my hope amid all
violence. You are my Refuge and Provider in everything that
happens. How many grievances are there that weaken the heart,
leaving me with no means to respond; during which friends desert
me while enemies rejoice."

Then, this beloved grandson of the Prophet and the apple of his eye,
raised a call: "Is there anyone who will come to assist us? Is there
anyone who will respond to our call for help?" He turned directions
and repeated the call several times. Who was he calling out to?
Surely he was not expecting anyone there to come to his aid since
those who he had relied upon had already betrayed him? Perhaps it
was a call to people of conscience of every period, every generation
in every land. It was a call for help against corruption which
everywhere in every age rears its ugly head to oppress justice and
undermine the truth.

Everyday and Everywhere 

 Imam Husayn’s martyrdom at Karbala provides evidence of the
moral victory of right over wrong, of virtue over vice, of principle
over compromise, of the oppressed over the oppressor, of the denied
over the denier; the ultimate victory of blood over sword. A lesson
teaching humankind through the inscription of blood on the scrolls
of human history, how he conveyed to the world, through his
struggle, the meaning of life; that that living is truly of value which
offers itself for a cause greater than its self; that to die with honor is
better than living in subjugation to injustice. 

For those conscious of their moral obligations, consistently striving

against injustice and oppression; EVERY DAY IS ‘ASHURA AND
EVERY PLACE IS KARBALA. In the words of Moulana ‘Ali Gouhar,
Qatle Husayn asl mein marge yazid hay Islam zinda hotahay har
Karbala ki ba’d "The killing of Husayn is in fact the death knell of
Yazid, as Islam is revived after every such Karbala". 

Remember Never to Forget 

The commemoration of ‘Ashura on the 10th of Muharram every year

serves to remind us of the sacrifices of the righteous throughout our
glorious history. It reconnects us with our spiritual and moral legacy
making us aware of the people, then and now, who bravely stood up
for what was right; as well as those who tried to destroy the family
of the Prophet and the noble ideals that the family stood for. More
than that, it exposes those who watched what was happening, knew
what was right; and yet did nothing. 

How many are there even today who shy away; not only from
mentioning the struggleat Karbala, but from the very memory of
Husayn. God forbid that we ever become of those who forget.

--
Kind regard,

Syed Jalal Quadri

5873 E Beverly Circle
Hanover Park IL 60133
Cell# 847-436-8535