SEEKING INSPIRATION FROM THE ANNIVERSARY OF IMAM HUSAYN'S (AS) MARTYRDOM

There is much that we can derive inspiration from in the anniversary of Imam Husayn (as), since in his intellect which encompassed Islam in its entirety, and in his heart which opened onto the human being in entirety, and in his movement which sprang from justice, goodness, and truth in their entirety, he was a symbol for the meaning of a person who lived with Allah and sought inspiration from Allah for all aspects of his personality. Thus, when in our turn seek inspiration from him, it is impossible for him to be confined to a certain time or place; nor can any one event summarize him. We have seen that some histories summarize Husayn (as) in Karbala' and summarize Karbala' in the meaning of tragedy, and when they wish to broach the meaning of the revolution in Karbala', they limit it in a narrow circle.

How can we be with the Karbala of Imam Husayn (as)?

Dear friends! Whoever is with the Karbala of Husayn (as) cannot pledge allegiance to an oppressor, nor can such a person fight alongside an oppressor or excuse an oppressor or justify his oppression. Therefore, shorten your tears when they are tears of history, and let them flow when they are tears of the oppressed and downtrodden human beings. Karbala in its entirety was about oppression, since it sprang from the message in the path of justice, and it sprang from the heart of reality in order to argue against that reality, to revolt against it and to change it. Do you wish to be like Husayn? If so, the issue is not to cry much, even though crying has its meaning. And the issue is not to mourn much and beat oneself, though that has its symbolism. Instead, the issue is to face reality in its entirety and to live that reality as Imam Husayn (as) lived it and the chosen ones of his family and companions lived it. They did not remain neutral in the face of the reality of oppression and arrogance.

Dear friends! Do not move with Husayn in history; instead, move with him in reality, revolution, and change. So each of us should be Husayn, even if only one percent. Because when we live Husayn in his method, thought and spirit, and in his opening onto the issue of justice and liberty in the human being, Karbala will find its audience among us, and not just speak of its audience in 61 AH.