Martyrs without Peer

The martyrs of Karbala: Zahir, Habib, Muslim, Barir, Hurr, S'aid, Abbas, to mention but a few, have been unsurpassed in human history.

The Quran says:

*Naught is as His likeness* (45/11).

They were of pious descent.

The Quran says:

*A goodly saying, as a goodly `tree, its root setfirm, its branches reaching into heaven giving its fruit in every season... * (14/24-24).

As for those wicked men who fought Imam Husayn(a), the Quran also says:

*... having hearts wherewith they understand not, and havingeyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. They are as cattle-nay, but they are worse. These are the neglectful* (7l79).

The companions, knew that all power belonged to Allah. The Quran says:

*... Whoso desires power (should know that) all power belongs to Allah. Unto Him good words ascend, and the pious does he exalt... * (35/0).

Hadrat `Ali(a) said that they were martyrs surpassed neither by anyone before them nor after them. Elsewhere Imam `Ali(a) said while addressing the earth of Karbala:

Strange though it may seem, Oh you mysterious earth, on the Day of Resurrection there will rise out of you a people that will enter paradise without having been called to account. (Bihar vol. 44 p. 255).
The companions of Imam Husayn(a) had based their lives on whatever their leader had mentioned the Prophet(s) as having said:

God loves the loftiest not the lowest aims in life.

Thus the army of Imam Husayn(a) was God centric and the Umayyad army was Satan-centered. The light of Husayn(a) was the light of God that never goes out.

The Quran says:

*Faint would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light however much the disbelievers are averse* (61/8).

All things attract their complement. Angelic people attract those whose characteristics correspond to theirs and infernal people do likewise.

The Quran says:

*...Lo! Allah has bought from believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs... *

Monotheists trade their lives for their Lord's favour and polytheists trade their lives for the things the devil shows them, however worthless they may be. The true value of a human being lies not in his wealth but in his virtue.

Husayn(a) and his companions resonated with the refrain of the Truth:

We gave up everything we had to win Thy favour.

The Quran says:

*Be mindful of your duty, and do right. Allah loves the good. * (5/93).

Elsewhere the Quran says:

*Lo! Allah is with those who keep their duty unto Him and those who are doers of good* (16n2s).
If we follow the example of Imam Husayn's(a) companions we are sure to win God's favour.

The Greatest Reality from the tongue of Jabir ibn- Abdullah

`Atiyyah ibn-Sa' d ibn Janadah said that he was in the company of Jabir when he paid a visit to the holy shrine of Imam Husayn(a). Jabir performed his ablution and put on some scent. He placed his hand on the sacred grave of the Imam(a) and swooned. When he came to himself, he lamented bitterly and then paid homage to the memory of the Imam's(a) companions saying that they also shared in his battle against his enemies.
`Atiyyah asked how could such a thing be; Jabir, greatly surprised, quoted the Prophet(s) as having said that one who supported others in what good they had done would be rewarded according to what they had done. If one is honoured with a visit to his holy shrine, one should say in his prayers:
I swear by Almighty God, His angels and His messengers that I believe in your leadership and in your return unto Allah. Every step I take for the cause of my religion and all my efforts in life are under the auspices of your leadership and guidance and inspired with my deep love and reverence for you. I surrender my heart to your pure soul and I try to follow the example you set for human salvation.
If after saying such a prayer however, one is not honest in his vow, that person would have told a great lie that will not be forgiven.

Imam Husayn(a) and his companions were all paragons of virtue and if one wants to revere them duly for their divine attributes, one should try to be their true disciple in all stages of life.

In contrast, the enemies of Imam Husayn(a) and his followers were all vice incarnated manifestations of villainy, tyranny, bestiality, infringement upon the rights of others, neglectfulness of responsibility, covetousness, envy, pride and hypocrisy. When called to account on the Last Day, they will appear to be totally deprived of God's mercy. Imam Husayn's(a) murder was so terrible a crime that in the punishment of the murderers, there may be no room for mercy.

Constancy in Achieving Goals

In following the transcendental aim of Imam Husayn(a) and his loyal supporters, one must be prepared to face physical, financial, mental, familial or social difficulties; hence, it requires constancy, steadfastness, struggle, religious zeal, devotion and understanding.

The Qur'an says:

*Whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah has shown favour: the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. And the best of company are they* (4/69)

Our Seeking God’s Help In Attaining to Good Conduct

Imam Husayn's companions gave a vivid picture of the spirituality of Islam in what they said and did. Indeed, they were angels that demonstrated the truths of Islam to the world for indeed their deeds were nothing short of angelic behaviour. They kept their duty in obeying Islamic tenets. Their message to all Muslims was to revere the Truth, the Prophet, the Qur'an, the Imam and their leaders. That we must establish worship and pay the poor-rate, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong.
Those who neglect to establish worship are proud like Satan who disobeyed God's order to prostrate before Adam, and those who do not pay the poor rate are the miserly whose niggardliness keeps them from doing anything good.

The Qur'an says:

*They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give the tidings (OMuhammad) of a painful doom* (9/34)

We supplicate to God for success in good conduct; whoso are neglectful of good conduct in relation to others are deprived of God's favour.

People of ill-conduct are notorious for spreading the fires of dishonourable behaviour all over the world, while on the other hand, good conduct diffuses light everywhere and adds to the glory of the angels.