Of Tyrants And Martyrs “Karbala is a reminder that truth and justice willalways prevail, even in the face of great evil”

Month of Muharram reminds the muslims of the world a tragic incident that occured in Karbala.It was during the month that one of the greatest tragedies befell Islam and it is thus remembered as one of the darkest days recorded in the pages of Islamic history. The beloved grandson of the Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Imam Hussein (ra), along with his family and companions were mercilessly martyred at the orders of the impure Yazid on the fields of Karbala.
Among the factors which led to the tragic events of Karbala disagreement over whether the mantle of caliphate is bestowed by Allah Almighty alone. Before his demise, Hazrat Amir Muawiyah appointed his son, Yazid, as his heir. Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra) and other prominent companions opposed his appointment and refused to take his bai’at [a pledge of allegiance].
It should be made clear that Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra) did not have any personal desire to acquire any power or title; rather he believed that caliphate was divinely appointed and could not be simply inherited. It was an opposition to this fundamental principle which led to the tragic event of Karbala.
Despite declining to pledge the bai’at, Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra) constantly tried to seek reconciliation and when he realised the danger of Muslim bloodshed, he told them to go back stating that those who could leave should leave. Approximately 30 to 40 people insisted upon staying with him, along with his family members, who also stayed behind with him. Furthermore, he told the representatives of Yazid that he did not want to fight and that they should let him go, so that he may go and worship Allah or so he could go to the frontier [of the Muslim empire] and take part in the Jihad and become martyred in the way of Islam. Or that they should take him to Yazid so he could tell him the reality of the matter, but the representatives did not listen to a single word of his.
And so, at sunrise on the 10th of Muharram, the army of Hazrat Imam Hussainra took its stand in front of Yazid’s army. In this battle between truth and falsehood, Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra)’s 72 devoted companions stood ready to face the 4,000-strong army in front of them. One by one, these brave and courageous warriors received a blessing from Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra) and entered the battlefield. Exhausted from their long journey, parched with thirst, these lions fought fearlessly, displayed unyielding bravery, and were eventually martyred. At this,the time had arrived for the members of the Holy Prophet (sa)’s family to brave the battlefield. As Hazrat Imam Hussein (ra)’s son Ali Akbar stepped into the fray, the enemy tore him to pieces and thus began the martyrdom of the Ahle-Bait. After Ali Akbar, it was Abdullah, and then Abdur Rehman, and after that, Qasim, the son of Hazrat Imam Hassan (ra), and his brothers Abu Bakr, Ja’far, Usman and Abbas who were all martyred in turn. It is said that when the enemy overcame the army of Hazrat Imam Hussain(ra), he directed his horse towards the Euphrates river. But before he could get to the river, the enemy blocked his path. A rain of swords fell upon him from all around, until he was hit in the face by Sanaan bin Anas’s spear, who then stepped forward, and cut off the head of Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra) – the head which used to be kissed by the blessed lips of the Holy Prophet (sa). This is, without doubt, one of the most harrowing tragedies to be perpetrated against the Holy Prophet (sa) family in the history of Islam. The mere thought of it causes one to shudder with horror.
Thus, Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra) refusing to pledge the bai’at to Yazid was because he firmly believed that the caliph was directly appointed by Allah, albeit through the will of the people, and could not be simply inherited. History further proved that this appointment of Yazid was against the divine system of Khilafat and that he was never fit for this august office when his own son, who was named after Muawiyah , acceded to the throne and spoke about the atrocities of his deceased father.
The events of Karbala that took place in the month of Muharram strike a very deep emotional chord with Muslims all around the world regardless of whichever sect they belong to. Each and every one who professes the Islamic creed, ‘there is none worthy of worship except Allah’, has no dispute regarding the high and revered status of the holy personage of Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra). Truly this love and affection for the beloved grandson of the Holy Prophet (sa) deeply stems from this affectionate prayer that he offered for both his grandsons in the words: ‘Oh Allah, I love them dearly; may You also treat them with love and affection.’
Then it is further reported that the Holy Prophet (sa) would state,
‘Whoever loves them loves me and whoever bears a grudge against them bears a grudge against me. Hussain is mine and I am Hussain’s. Whoever loves Hussain will be loved by Allah.’
Hence, it is unimaginable for any disagreement to occur over the lofty status and noble rank held by Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra). One who has been deemed the ‘leaders of the youth in paradise’ and also as the ‘leader of the oppressed’ is truly worthy of being emulated and followed. As Muslims, whose each and every fibre is imbued with love for their master, the Holy Prophet (sa), it is absolutely essential to hold the same love and admiration for the members of his beloved family as well.