The Battle of Karbala stands as a monumental testament to the enduring human values of truth, justice, and unwavering resolve. It serves as a timeless message, urging humanity to rise above fleeting material pursuits and establish a society built on fairness and equity.
Every Muharram, millions of Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, gather to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS), his family, and companions. While some express their grief with deep emotional intensity, others too feel the profound pain inflicted upon the martyrs. Yet, a critical few delve deeper, seeking the essence of the sacred sacrifice offered at Karbala.
The shedding of blood, the offering of bodies and heads – these were acts in service of a supreme cause. True sacrifice demands a greater purpose, a truth so powerful that it justifies ultimate surrender. Mourning the loss of loved ones is a natural human response. So too is the outpouring of grief for the martyrs of Karbala, an act shared by all who identify with their unwavering spirit.
In a sense, the Karbala martyrs are eternally alive. Even after fourteen centuries, the lamentations, the raw emotions, and the unparalleled expressions of grief resurface year after year. What ignites this enduring remembrance? What fuels this timeless sorrow? This is the crucial question every true believer in the message of Husainiyat must confront.
If the sacrifices were not for any supreme goal then only the personal attachment and love with Imam Husain (AS) and other martyrs could not sustain enduring mourning and eulogy. If self-preservation had outweighed their cause, these martyrs would not have offered their blood so readily. Their sacrifice stands as a testament – they cherished their mission far more than their own lives. Divinely chosen, they inscribed an everlasting message upon the sands of Karbala, a message written in their blood: that upholding truth and rejecting evil demands unwavering commitment, even at the cost of sacrificing innocent children and young men on the cusp of manhood.
Karbala serves as a stark reminder that Islam transcends mere physical suffering. The martyrs of Karbala endured parched throats for days on end, yet never wavered in their defiance of injustice. They surrendered all they possessed, but never compromised their unwavering faith in righteousness.
The pursuit of power was not their motivation. A study of Imam Hussain’s (AS) noble lineage and grand values exposes the absurdity of suggesting he would incite bloodshed amongst Muslims for personal gain. History offers no evidence to support such a claim.
What truly troubled Imam Hussain (AS) was the rampant moral and ethical decay that had infected society and permeated the ruling class. The Islamic spirit of governance, the very essence of a just society, was withering under the weight of a corrupt state. This transformed him into a dissenter, one who dared to speak out against the social ills plaguing his community. He remained a non-combatant, harboring no war ambitions. Yet, through his actions, he demonstrated a profound truth: that life, possessions, and even honour are secondary to unwavering faith and adherence to the righteous path.
But how are we honoring Imam Hussain’s (AS) legacy? The processions, mourning assemblies, elaborate feasts, and charitable water distributions undertaken by both Shias and Sunnis cannot absolve us of our responsibility to uphold the principles for which the martyrs bled. Imam Hussain’s (AS) light transcends the limitations of space and time. His radiance illuminates the path for all who earnestly seek absolute truth.
The intensity of our mourning grows, participation surges, and the lamentations echo with ever-greater love and emotion. Yet, the true essence of the Husaini mission remains largely absent in our society. The rights of both God and humanity are trampled upon with impunity. Injustice reigns supreme, fueled by rampant corruption. The chasm of inequality widens ever further, with the poor locked in a daily struggle for survival while the wealthy indulge in vulgar displays of affluence.
Revulsion, animosity, and disgust have become pervasive across all facets of morality. Ignorance and impatience breed emptiness, hatred, and ultimately, violence. This is particularly evident amongst various Muslim sects themselves. This blatant disregard for the martyrs’ true mission deserves our collective mourning and fervent remembrance. We must rededicate ourselves to the lessons of patience and resilience embodied by the martyrs, lessons carried from Medina to Karbala and finally to Damascus, offered not just to humanity as a whole, but to each and every one of us.
(Author is a regular columnist of Rising Kashmir and can be reached at: [email protected])
Box: Revulsion, animosity, and disgust have become pervasive across all facets of morality. Ignorance and impatience breed emptiness, hatred, and ultimately, violence. This is particularly evident amongst various Muslim sects themselves. This blatant disregard for the martyrs’ true mission deserves our collective mourning and fervent remembrance
