History and Philosophy of Aza Imam Husayn (A.S)

History and Philosophy of Aza Imam Husayn (A.S)

Over one thousand three hundred and fifty years ago, on the 10th of Muharram, just before 'asr, a man stood on a sand-dune at Karbala’. He was bleeding from several wounds on his body. He had lost everything. Since early morning he had carried several dead bodies into his camp. He had even buried his infant child.
He looked at the bodies of his loved ones. Tears flowed out of his eyes. He looked at the sky and seemed to draw some strength from an unseen source. Then, like a muezzin from a minaret, he raised a call: “Is there anyone who will come to assist us? Is there anyone who will respond to our call for aid?”
He turned direction and repeated the call. He did this four times.
Whom was he calling out to? Surely he was not expecting anyone to come to his aid. Those who wanted to help him had already crossed the lines and laid down their lives for the cause. He knew there was no one left. He knew that there was no other Hurr. And yet, meticulously and laboriously, he made sure that his call reverberated in all directions.

always reflect upon the seriousness and solemnity of this pledge.

always reflect upon the seriousness and solemnity of this pledge.
Until the time of ghaibat al-kubra, we find that our Imams always encouraged Aza’ al-Husayn. They saw in Aza’ al-Husayn not only a demonstration of grief for Imam Husayn and the martyrs of Karbala’ but also a renewal of one's commitment to Allah and His laws as expounded in the Holy Qur'an and the ahadeeth.
We have records of the sayings of the representatives (Naibs) during ghaibat al-Sughra explaining and encouraging Aza’ al-Husayn. From 329 AH onwards the fuqaha and the 'ulemas took it upon themselves to perpetuate the message of Karbala’.
Shaykh Ibn Babawayh-al-Qummi better known as Shaykh as-Saduq who died in 381 AH was the first scholar to have introduced prose as medium of conveying the message of Imam Husayn. He would sit on a pulpit and speak extempore while many of his students sat by the side of the pulpit and recorded the speech. His speeches have been preserved and to this day are known as the Amali (dictations) of Shaykh Saduq.

in English exist on this subject. Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi is the compiler of a book containing several very interesting articles relating to the history of the tragedy of Karbala’. Then there is Shaykh Mufid (A.R.)'s al Irshad.
Extrapolations of certain inferences from known facts are not, in my opinion or in the opinion of the 'ulema, objectionable. For example description of natural human emotions, though not chronicled in vivid detail may be extrapolated if the description is within the bounds of reason and does not detract from the character of the personalities involved.
Some of the maqaatil can be faulted in respect of certain statements For example Tabari records that the age of Imam Zain-ul-'Abideen (A.S.) was questioned at Kufa and he was examined to determine whether he had attained buloogh. (See the History of al Tabari, Vol. XIX page 166). Shaykh Mufid gives the fourth Imam's age at the time as 23 years. It is well known the Imam was married and had a son.
Many such contradictions exist in the maqaatil but this does not mean that we have to reject any account in total. Detailed events, and often the names of those involved, are very difficult to record accurately even by an honest and meticulous chronicler recording contemporaneously as the events are taking place. Abu Mikhnaf began to compile his history, mostly through eye witness account at least twenty five years after the tragedy. It is necessary for us to be eclectic for so long as we remain within the confines of reason. To be eclectic we must know what historical material is available and where to find it.
It is not within the scope of this article to deal with all the historical sources I would refer the reader to S. H. M, Jafri's the Origins and Early Development of Shi'a Islam, Chapter 7. I would also refer any reader interested in the subject to the following additional works:
1. The volume of Tabari referred to above.
2. Al-Irshad by Shaykh Mufid.
3. The article by Imam Husayn by Veccia Vaglieri in the Encyclopaedia of Islam which is based mostly Balaadhuri's account.

Objectives
We have to remember that the 'ashra al-Muharram is a very emotional period and this emotion has to be exploited by the ahle minabir to convey the message of Karbala’, to awaken a hatred against all that Yazid stood for and to rekindle a commitment to Islam as preached by the Ahlul Bayt and for which Imam Husayn laid down his life.
We can not perpetuate the illusion that Aza’ al-Husayn means no more than a few tears, matam and processions. These are the means and not the end. They are important only if they lead each of us becoming a better Shiah than we were in the preceding year.
If we lose sight of the objectives we may find ourselves answerable for forgetting and holding to ridicule the cause for which our Imam sacrificed so much!
Imam Husayn himself advised a muslim who was claiming to be a shiah to fear Allah and not to make a false claim lest on the Day of Judgement he is raised with the liars. “Our shiah,” the Imam added, “is the one whose heart is pure of malice, deception and corruption. His words and deeds are only for the pleasure of Allah.”
We must during this forthcoming 'ashra al-Muharram pose this question to ourselves in all seriousness. Do we intend to make a commitment to Imam Husayn's objectives or do we wish to continue complacently in our current state, paying what can best be described a lip service to his martyrdom with demonstrative mourning only??
While I pray that we begin, as we must, to understand the philosophy of Aza’ al-Husayn and make a serious commitment to the objectives of the King of Martyrs, I sincerely hope that there never comes a day when majaalis are replaced by clinical lectures devoid of all emotion! Reason when supported by emotion has a more enduring effect, and it is for this very end that as a recompense of the rationality of the message of the Holy Prophet he is told by Allah to ask for no recompense save the love of Ahlul Bayt. Love, while being an emotional force, becomes hypocrisy if one fails to identify and follow the wishes of the loved one.
May all our Muharrams be true demonstration of our love for, and a confluence of emotion, reason and commitment to, Imam Husayn.
References
1. Kitab al-Irshad by Shaykh al Mufid
2. The History of Tabari, the English translation, Vol. XIX
3. The Rising of al-Husayn by Shaykh Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Deen
4. Imam Husayn, the Saviour of Islam by Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi
5. Al-Serat the Imam Husayn Conference Number, published by the Muhammadi Trust, July 1984
6. The origins and Early Development of Shi'a Islam, by S. H. M. Jafri
7. Al-Tawhid, Vol. II No. 1, the Editorial.
8. Al Tawhid, Vol. XIII, No. 3, Pages 41 to 74, reproducing the article by Martyr Murtadha Mutaharri entitled “Ashura : History and Popular Legend”
9. The History of Azadari published by Peermahomed Trust
10. The last issue of Jafferi News