The Tragedy of Kerbala - The Martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a.s.)


In the terms of the peace treaty signed between Muawiya and Imam Hasan (a.s.), the right to the Caliphate had been expressly reserved for Imam Hussain (a.s.). However upon the death of Imam Hasan (a.s.), Yazid, Muawiya's son took over rule and began interfering with the fundamentals of the faith. He practised every vice and wickedness freely with the highest degree of impunity and yet held himself out as the successor of the Holy Prophet (SAW). He further demanded allegiance from Imam Hussain (a.s.). The light that had been brought to the people by the Messenger of God was in danger of being extinguished. The task of keeping alive Islam in its original purity now centered on Imam Hussain (a.s.), his family and his small band of followers.

Imam Hussain (a.s.) left Medina for Hajj and it was his intention to leave for Kufa after performing Hajj. But soon after arriving in Mecca Imam Hussain (a.s.) was informed of the plot to assassinate him during Hajj. The Holy Imam, to safeguard the great sanctuary of Mecca, decided to leave for Kufa before the Hajj.

On the way to Kufa the Imam was informed of Muslim Ibne-Aqeel's murder. Soon after, Hur Ibne-Yazid-e-Reyahi arrived on the scene at the head of the caravan with instructions from the Governor of Kufa to keep a close watch on Imam Hussain (a.s.) and to prevent him from taking any other road than the one to Kufa.

Imam Hussain (a.s.)questioned Hur on the object of his journey and was informed by Hur that "I have been instructed to take you to Kufa and I, in the face of the Governor's orders cannot allow you to go back." The Imam flatly refused to accede his wish. As a comprimise, Hur suggested: "Under the circumstances you may if you choose adopt a third course, with the condition that I will keep watch over you." So together they took a different road.

On the second day of Muharram in 61 A.H. they reached a spot where, Imam Hussain(a.s.)'s horse, Zuljanah, mysteriously stopped and would not move any further. Upon this, the Holy Imam declared: "This is the land, the land of sufferings and tortures. Here shall we be martyred and our children killed. Here shall our tents be burned and our family arrested. This is the land about which my Grandfather, the Holy Prophet (SAW) had foretold."

Meandering through the desert, the caravan now reached its destination - a destination which Allah had willed for it. The march of Hussain(a.s.) and his kinsmen in this world had ended; but it was just the beginning of their march towards their real goal.

More and more platoons kept arriving in this expansive plain. When Umar Ibne-Sa'd arrived with a large force, he opened negotiations with the Imam. But all efforts proved fruitless due to Yazid's obsession for extracting allegiance from Imam Hussain (a.s.) - a declaration that would mean compromising with the devil - and this the Imam could never do.

The conflict at Kerbala was the primeval conflict of right against wrong, godliness against devilry. It is common knowledge that the path of virtue has always been strewn with the thorns of oppression and persecution, and those on the right path have had to wage not a battle of survival of themselves, but in sacrificing their own lives hastened the extinction of those on the wrong.

History records various instances of God-fearing persons caring little for their priceless lives when occasion demanded them to stand face to face with heathen forces. But no anniversary of their sufferings ever pervades our mind to the extent which Kerbala does. His method of dying for truth was suigeneris. He selected his most dear and near ones for the performance of this duty. Thus he placed at the altar of sacrifice all that was close to his heart and then finally made an offering of his own life and through his death he has earned a deathless fame.

The martyr is remembered for the firmness and patience, courage and endurance which he displayed under the most tragic circumstances on the scorching plains of Kerbala.
The Imam asked the enemies that had assembled: "Why do ye desire to kill me? Did I commit any sin or crime? Did I plunder anybody? Did I interfere with anyone's affairs?
You have killed all my companions, my children, my brothers, and even my little baby; now I tell you to leave me. I will migrate to Yemen, to Iran or even to far off Hind (India). Stain not your hands with my blood, which is the blood of the Holy Prophet himself, for you will not have salvation. It is for you to decide. I tell you, shed not my blood and save yourselves.

Yet there was no response...

Every awakened mind will surely confess that it is not possible for any mortal to understand the great heavenly personality which enacted the absolute submission to the Lord on the field of Kerbala.
Having lost every one of his faithful comrades including his baby son, himself wounded from head to foot with arrows struck in his holy body, with his blood flowing from the wounds, his clothes drenched with the blood of his comrades, his kith and kin whose dead bodies he removed from the field of massacre to a tent in his camp to spare them from being trampled. Imam Hussain (a.s.) was now seated on his horse, in the midst of such undefinable agony the Holy Imam ever remained mindful of the Lord and his submission to Him with the desire not to leave this world without offering a single one of the prayers perscribed by Him for man.

While the Imam was in prostration offering his prayers, Amr Saad called upon his warriors to go cut his head off. No one came forward so Amr Saad asked Shimr to go behead the Imam. They approached the Imam who was still in prostration and stood above him, sword in hand. Seeing that the Imam had concluded his prayers, Shimr mounted Hussain's back and prepared himself to cut the head. The Imam being too weak and having lost a lot of blood could not fight.
Bibi Zainab who was watching rushed forth and said: "O Amr Saad, I appeal to you to as the granddaughter of the Prophet of Islam to save my brother's life.....O son of Saad Bin Wakkas, will you stand here and atch my brother being slaughtered so mercilessly without a drop of water? In the name of God, I appeal to you to save Hussain's life."

They were quiet and acted completely oblivious to her pleas and appeals. The Imam saw this and did not want his sister to see his head severed in front of him, so he said with what little strength he had left: "My Sister, I appeal to you to return to the camp immediately. For the sake of the of the love you bear for me, hasten to the tent. It will give me the greatest pain if you remain here any longer."

Zainab rushed back to camp weeping. She went to Imam Zain Al-Abidin's tent and stood with him at the exit to the camp. They felt that nature itself was sharing their grief, because a strong gust of wind arose and carried red particles of burning desert sand. In the distant panorama they saw a spear with Imam Hussain's head on it. They heard the drums of Yazid's army proclaiming the end of the battle. Zainab with a shriek wailed : "O my brother Hussain, my brother Hussain! At last they have killed you, they have beheaded you without a drop of water."

She then fell unconscious into the arms of her nephew. He gently put her down on the floor and prostrating his head on the ground exclaimed: "O God, we mortals resign ourselves to Thy Will. From thee we have come and unto Thee shall be our return."

INNA LILLAHEY WA INNA ILAIHEY RAAJEYOON


Taken from "Martyrdom of Imam Hussain" : Yousuf Lalljee




from: http://www.world-federation.org/islamic_resources/smkufa.htm