“The
evil is dominant and the good can be likened to leftover drops in a
drinking bowl. The righteous conduct has become rare and the wrongful behavior is raging. A believer is obliged by his faith to seek truth
in all circumstances. Living under a tyrant is disgrace and dying at
the hands of an oppressor is true martyrdom”.
- Hadhrat Imam Hussein (ra)
These ringing words of uncommon courage spoken by that grandson of the Holy Prophet
(sa), addressing his small band of followers and family members who accompanied him, on
the eve of the great tragedy of Karbala, in spiritual defiance of Yezid ibn Muawiya, the accursed- the oppressive ruler of the day- reverberates through Islamic
history as the golden standard of religion,
politics and morality for
all times.
As
the Holy Prophet (sa)
had established the State of Islam in Madina through the
famous “Covenant of Madina”- with all peoples/communities
expressing their trust (Bai’at)
in a just ruler bound by principles of law and a working process of
consultation (Shura)
with the governed; Islamic political order assured
the dignity of man, ensuring
the freedom of expression and participation in public affairs both
by the elders and the ordinary and the young citizens. It
is this egalitarian system of Islamic values and political order that
was sought to be defiled and overturned into a dynastic authoritarian
order by that licentious prince Yezid in the times of Imam Hussein
(ra), setting up that encounter between the despot and the
saint. As a
man who led a life of pious rectitude engaged in spiritual and
academic pursuits in
Madina, Imam
Hussein (ra) was a
conscientious and upright visionary of Islam. Rather than seeking to
compromise in the
pursuit of chance gains of this life, he thought no sacrifice is
great in confronting evil; in upholding foundational Islamic values
of justice and
resistance to oppression, and
chose to embrace the eternal life of a martyr than be a mute spectator to the erosion of values. Beyond
tragic history, the episode of Karbala and the enduring legacy of
Imam Hussein (ra) offers
powerful opportunities for reflection for
all believers in
confronting evil that exists around us.
In his Friday Sermon of 21
September 2018 (11 Muharram 1440 AH), Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al
Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius reminds the
Muslims about the fatal flaws that have crept into the
community
practices surrounding this great legacy; the ultimate futility of
empty ritualism and spiritual corruption they
are indulging in; and the important lessons the great Imam’s life
offers for all of us in these turbulent times.
Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:
Every year, during the month of Muharram, many Muslims mourn the death of Imam Hussein (ra).
Many anti-Islamic things are organized and
practiced during the first ten days of Muharram.
(1)
Especially on the Darga
issue. During the Muharram, the Darga
trade works very well. People foolishly throw their money and waste
their time in the Dargas
and thus fall into the greatest sin, that is, the Shirk.
They come to pray in front of five fingers cut from a plain iron
sheet and they place all that in front of them and they also lit an
earthen lamp. Do Muslims pray earthen lamps? So where has their faith
gone? They bring sugar, and also kill a black cock and come to leave
all that in the Darga.
All these practices do not form part of Islam. All this is
non-existent in Islam. There are people who make promises during the
Muharram to give a red and green cloths in the Darga,
if they succeed in their intended projects / works / promises
(especially for childless parents who make such promises).
(2)
The ‘Ghoon’
issue. This practice does not have its place in Islam. It is
absolutely forbidden for one to participate in such practices in
whatever form it may be. For example, give money, raise flags,
collect money, beat Marfa
(i.e. the drums – a sort of music), raise/ pull the ‘Ghoon’
etc., or give money when the participants of the ‘Ghoon’
are going from door to door. This is what is called (in Mauritius) :
“Ramasse
Pavillion” (lit.
meaning collect flags, in other words money).
By
indulging in such practices , they have forgotten the true aim of the
sacrifice of Imam Hussein (ra); they altogether forgot the purpose
for which he sacrificed himself as well as his family (in the way of
Allah)! Did Imam Hussein (ra) ever fight for power? Imam Hussein (ra)
was never thirsty for power.
In the Islamic world today, there are
states/ countries which are still being ruled by monarchies (for
example, Saudi Arabia etc.). In some of these states, the king buy
the silence of his people with money so that they do not denounce any
injustice, corruption, torture etc. which are being done in those
countries. But
among these nations, there are some who submit (i.e. turn a blind eye
to all injustices and so on) but many also rise and expose their
lives and die while fighting against injustices and corruption.
This
was the case for Imam Hussein (ra). Despite their few number (i.e. he
and his group/ family), Imam Hussein (ra) and his companions and
family fought so as to re-establish the good principles of Islam, and
to make the people comply to them completely. It is with this aim in
mind that Imam Hussein (ra) fought and sacrificed himself and his
family (the Ahle
Bait) – [in the
way of Allah]. The
true Muslim should never take such events in history as an ordinary
occurrence and he should never manifest happiness at such tragedy.
Each of us should learn a lesson in the sacrifice of Imam Hussein
(ra).
There
are in some places, in great Majlis
(meetings, councils, programmes), many talks are delivered
[especially on the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (ra) etc.] and while
some of the speeches are based on truths, many also are invented also
– their sources are unknown, so much so that one does not know
which and which to believe. And after the Majlis,
the congregation only affirms that they were deeply touched and sad
by what they heard and that is all!
Is
that only the aim of listening to the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (ra)?
To feel sad [and do nothing else which is Islamic]? Or to distribute
Malida
(a cake preparation) or take water from the dead (i.e. in the Dargas/
tombs or special ‘Ghoon
Darga’)?
The
important lesson which we need to take from the life of Imam Hussein
(ra) is that whenever injustice or corruption or evil appear in
society, we need to rebel against it, even if we are few in number!
Allah is with the one who fight to restore His established Laws.
Therefore, you need to do it because Allah is with the one who
struggle/ fight to establish His Law on earth. Imam Hussein (ra) is a
striking example (and model) for us all....