Muharram: A Deeply Agonizing Memory of Karbala
By
Farhan Bokhari
August 26,
2020
The Islamic
New Year which began this week with the month of Muharram, has once again
returned Muslims worldwide to remember and relive a deeply agonizing memory.
Almost
fourteen centuries after the massacre of Imam Hussain (a.s.), the grandson of
Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and 72 of his followers on the 10th day of
Muharram at Karbala, southern Iraq, the memory of the tragedy continues to
inspire Muslims worldwide.
The
defiance by Imam Hussain has gone to lay the foundation of innumerable
campaigns for freedom in the centuries since the carnage at Karbala. Today,
references to the example of Imam Hussain (a.s.) are found in numerous writings
and poetry not just by Muslims but non-Muslims too.
In a
powerful aspect of this yearly remembrance, many Muslims tend to broadly
identify themselves either with the oppressors or the oppressed who fought back
against tyranny, seeking inspiration from the example of Imam Hussain.
Understanding
the true spirit of this tragedy requires appreciation of the circumstances
surrounding Imam Hussain (a.s.) after he refused allegiance to the newly
appointed caliph Yazid and chose to defy the ruling structure. As he left the
holy city of Medina about five months before his brutal martyrdom at Karbala,
the odds were packed against him.
The
‘Ummayad’ empire of which Yazid was the newest leader, had already either
bought out anyone who stood in the way of its quest for unquestioned authority
or simply had them killed.
It was
therefore hardly surprising that Hazrat Muslim Bin Aqeel, the cousin of Imam
Hussain and one of his closest confidantes, upon reaching the city of Kufa
ahead of the massacre at Karbala found few who were willing to stand up against
their regime.
This was in
sharp contrast to the many letters received by Imam Hussain (a.s.) from
notables of Kufa just days earlier, urging him to arrive in their midst and
assume their leadership. Hazrat Muslim Bin Aqeel and two of his under-aged sons
were quickly and brutally martyred under orders from the Governor of Kufa,
mainly to inflict fear upon the local population and block any rebellion
against Yazid.
But the
mission of Imam Hussains was neither a worldly one to seek political leadership
of the Islamic empire nor revolved around personal gain. Instead, his journey
was primarily meant to challenge the ways in which the teachings of Islam had
become distorted since the passing of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Armed with
this mission, Imam Hussain (a.s.) first traveled to Mecca for Hajj, but then
chose to leave the holy city just two days before the pilgrimage upon receiving
reports of Yazid’s dspatch of assassins to shed his blood inside the premises
surrounding the holy Kaaba.
Today, it
is hardly surprising that Muslims worldwide facing unspeakable brutalities,
from Palestine to Kashmir and elsewhere, rely on the example of Imam Hussain to
repeatedly renew their commitment in fighting back. Historical texts suggest
that in the face of the numerically fewer souls on the side of Imam Hussain,
the army of Yazid consisted of a strength of anywhere between 30 thousand and
70 thousand. It was indeed a massive overkill by Yazid.
Though the
odds were clearly tied against Imam Hussain (a.s.), his message has
consistently flourished. It is a message which itself testifies to the
resounding victory of the cause of Imam Hussain, beyond the brutal massacre at
Karbala followed by the imprisonment of women and children left behind.
Following
the massacre at Karbala, Bibi Zainab (a.s.), the sister of Imam Hussain,
carried his message boldly and bravely. Her famous sermon delivered eloquently
before Yazid at his court in Damascus presents a living testament to the
continuation of her brother’s cause.
The
brutality unleashed at Karbala was followed with a brutal attack by Yazid’s
army on the city of Medina, when the soldiers were given a free rein to loot
and plunder over three days. And yet in spite of this and other instances of
unparalleled persecution, the message of Imam Hussain has only spread widely over
centuries. Today, the memory of Karbala continues to flourish widely in
preserving the message of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and his followers, while the
persona of Yazid and his followers receives widespread scorn and condemnation.
-----
Farhan
Bokhari s an Islamabad-based journalist who writes on political and economic
affairs.
Original
Headline: Remembering Karbala
Source: The News, Pakistan
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/muharram-deeply-agonizing-memory-karbala/d/122721