Seerah

The Ma'soom Imams alayhum-as-salam annually held Azadari or mourning programs commemorating the day of Ashura, and in fact the Imams of the Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-as-salam encouraged others to continue to hold such programs to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husayn alayhis-salam in various forms and styles of remembrance be it those which are obligatory, or those that are Mustahab or permissible, for this day is like no other day. There has been many hadith from them in this respect; in one narration Imam Sadiq alayhis-salam is asked as to why the day of Ashura became the day of sorrow and grief, lamentation and weeping, rather than the day when Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih died, or the day when Fatima-al-Zahra alayhas-salam died, or the day when Amir-ul-Mu'minin 36 alayhis-salam was killed, or when Imam Hasan alayhis-salam was killed by poisoning? Imam Sadiq alayhis-salam replied, “Truly the day of al-Husayn is the day of the greatest catastrophe, since As-hab al-Kissa (people of the cloak) alayhum-as-salam who were the most honourable of creation in the sight of Allah were five, and when Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih died, Imam Ali, Fatima al-Zahra, Hasan and Husayn alayhum-as-salam remained, and the people sought solace and comfort in them, and when Fatima al-Zahra alayhas-salam died, people sought consolation and comfort in Amir-ul-Mu'minin, Hasan and Husayn alayhum-as-salam, and when Amir-ul-Mu'minin alayhissalam died people sought solace and comfort in Hasan and Husayn alayhum-as-salam, and when Hasan alayhis-salam died people could find comfort in Imam Husayn alayhis-salam, but when Imam Husayn alayhissalam was killed, there remained no other member of As-hab al-Kissa to seek solace and comfort in, and by the killing of the last of them all access to As-hab al-Kissa was severed, whereas so long as there was even one of them amongst the people, it was as if all of them were amongst the people.

That is why the day of Husayn alayhis-salam is the most calamitous of all days.”

Thus great rewards have been reported for establishing and upholding these Husayni Sha'a'er. Imam Baqir alayhis-salam stated, "Imam Zayn al- Abidin used to say, "Any believer who weeps for Imam Husayn alayhissalam and his tragedy such that his tears run down his cheek, Allah Almighty shall accommodate him in Paradise, and any believer who wept for us for what we suffered at the hands of our enemy in this world such that his tears run down his cheeks Allah shall accommodate him in a lofty station, and any believer who suffers hardship in our cause, such that he weeps for us and his tears run down his cheek, Allah Almighty shall repel from his face any anguish and protects him from fire on the day of Judgement".

And thus tyrants and despots throughout history tried to stop these sacred ceremonies and Husayni Sha‘a’er, as is the case of the (Ba‘thist) regime in Iraq. The regime first began by banning the mourning ceremonies in the capital city – Baghdad – and it then extended this ban to all other cities of Iraq. It then went on to ban the people Basra and other cities from coming to Karbala on religious occasions such as on Ashura and on the day of Arba‘een.

The Ba‘thist regime then gained enough courage and confidence to arbitrary arrest the Ulema, scholars, and public speakers of the Husayni Sha‘a’er, and subject them to brutal torture, before executing great many of them. All of this is in aid of suppressing and killing the spirit and the will of the Ummah, which emanate from the religious and Husayni Sha‘a’er.

This was a quick insight in the role of Sayyid-al-Shuhada alayhis-salam in protecting Islam, and a glimpse of his station in the sight of Allah Almighty, and lofty station and the eminence of the Imam in this world and in the hereafter, and how can it not be when he addresses Allah Almighty saying:

I have left the entire world for the sake of You and I have orphaned my children so that I see You So if I am cut into pieces for the love of You my heart would lean to none other than You And these words reflect the extent of the sincerity of Imam Husayn alayhis-salam in his love for Allah, and his honesty in defending Islam.

Notes:

36. Amir-ul-Mu’minin, meaning the Commander of the Faithful, is the title that was exclusively awarded to Imam Ali alayhis-salam by Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih.

Adopted from the book : "Husayn; the Sacrifice for Mankind" by : "Imam Muhammad Shirazi"