| The Religious Significance
of the Event of Karballa - Part -1 Translated by Ali Abbas
Taken
from Philosophy of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn (as) by Prof Dr.Tahirul Qadri,
Minhaj al Quran Publications- Lahore- Pakistan
The Religious Significance
of the Event of Karbala The Islamic year begins with the month of Muharram
and terminates at Dhu alHijjah. Its commencement with the month of Muharram and
termination thereat with Dhu al Hijjah is an indication that the journey of religious
life in Islam begins and ends with sacrifice, the implication being that a muslims
life in its entirety is molded with the intent of sacrifice. While [the
month of] Dhu al Hijjah presents us with Prophet Ibrahims intense
love of God
and an earnest desire to achieve shahadat, Muharram is an
invitation to a practical
witnessing [of surrender] to that shahadat by
the doyen of the martyrs, Imam
Husayn. On the tenth of Dhu al Hijjah, Ismail
in his submission to God, offers
his head on the altar of sacrifice, but God
accepts this act of submission
prior to the separation of the head from the
body. And on the tenth of Muharram,
not just the grandson of the Prophet,
but those of his kith and kin, present
their necks in resignation [out of
submission] in the Heavenly courtyard of
acceptance. In the prohibitive month of Muharram, Imam Husayn, the house-hold
of
prophecy [nubuwwat] accompanied with his companions [ashab] (who according
to
conflicting traditions number not more than 145), journey to the land of
Karballa
for the sake of upholding the sanctity of Gods religion, against an
unjust,
oppressive and dictatorial system, as they gathered to raise the
standard of
struggle. With the exception of the honorable ladies observing
hijab and Imam
Zaynul Abidin, all the honorable souls drank the cup of
martyrdom. This is
a momentous sacrifice in the history of mankind, which
took place in the month
of Muharram, and God the Almighty entered this as a
sign (sha'ir) from the
Muslim community [ummah] for eternity. The Event of Karballa ... Is it
a mere historical happening?
The martyrdom narrative and the events that transpired
with Imam Husayn and
the rest of his companions are duly remembered. In certain
circles, this
event and the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, are treated as mere historical
happenings
liking it to the misfortunes and the mountains of hardship that
befell other
[mortal] beings, resulting in their martyrdom. Likewise, they
regulate the
martyrdom of Imam Husayn, to just another historical narrative,
not warranting
any special merit. This particularity has evolved over a certain period,
with a rejection of
its mentioning from the practical and conscious realm.
There is a growing
realization in the minds of people that the mention of the
event of Karballa
and the martyrdom of Imam Husayn lends towards shi'ite affiliations
and is a
task taken upon by them. As such, there is no importance attached
towards
propagating the event and martyrdom.
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