Islam Guidance

Sheikh Abdulghani on the 11th night of Muharram 2012 tells of a medically recorded miracle in the shrine of the Eighth Infallible Imam Ridha (A.S)

Ashura Procession in Europe - London

The story is about a "choice", the most important manifestation of the meaning of human being. But what kind of choice? We are all faced with several choices in our everyday life: career, friend, wife, house, major.. But in this story, the choice is much more difficult: the good and the evil. And even so, not from a philosophical, scientific, or theological perspective. Instead, the choice here is between the truthful and the deceiving religion, between the just and unjust politics, with life being the price to pay.
To further emphasize the sensitivity of the situation, the author has not put the hero of this story in the middle, equally between the right and the evil. Instead, the hero is the head of the army of the evil. On the other hand, the director of this play has to find symbols for his story to make them most effective. Should he have Promote on one side and some demons on the other side? But this makes the story too mythical...Spartacus and Crasios? No...This makes the story nationalistic and gives it a class dependent nature. How about Abraham and Nimrod? Moses and Pharaoh? Jesus and Judas? No... Again, for most of the people these are metaphysical and heavenly characters different from common ordinary people. Having them as heroes reduces the effect of the story, and causes people to admire them, but never think about following their examples in their everyday life. However, the main purpose of this story is to teach, to show the ability of the man to change, to show how it is possible for a common and even sinful man to reject all his social, family, and class ties and show a god-like change.
The history of Islam is full of contradicting features. The two lines starting from Abel (Habil) and Cain (Ghabil), existing throughout the history side by side though in different faces, have also continued in Islam. Now, both these streams are dressed in Islam, but in opposite directions. Ironically, our hero is faced to choose between the most extreme ends in each of these parties: Yazid and Hussain (A.S).
What is the name of this hero? For a historic figure, what is important is the role he plays, and not his name, since his name is something chosen for him by his family, according to his parent's taste.. On the other hand, if the story is created by an ingenious writer, he would choose a name which is relevant to the role of his hero. In this story however, our hero has been named by his mother, "Hur", as if she has been able to foresee the sensitive role his son is going to play. And thus, when the Imam of freedom attends his bloody body, just before his death, tells him: "O Hur! God bless you! You are free both in this world and in the world to come, just like what your mother called you!"
Although Hur has played a unique role in the history, the essence of his role is not just confined to himself. The meaning of his action, in fact, includes all human-beings, and indeed defines "humanity". It is what distinguishes the human-beings from other creatures, underlining the responsibility of man with respect to God, people, and himself. And Hur has not played this with words and concepts, but with love and blood. If one grasps the depth of this saying from Imam Sadegh (A.S) that "All days are Ashura, and all places are Karbala, and all months are Muharram" one readily feels the extension: "and all human-beings are Hur!"
It is by this choice that you become human. Before this choice you are nothing, you are just an existence without essence, you are standing in the middle. Thus, the man who has found "existence" through birth finds "essence" through choice. It is by this choice, that the creation of man completes, and this is exactly when the man feels this heavy burden on his shoulders and finds himself alone, as God and the nature have left him on his own on this dangerous decision.
Hur and Umar ibn Saad both have come all the way from the palace of Yazid to Karbala together and they share the same status and social class. Hur asks Omar:
"Can't you find a peaceful solution for this situation?”
"You know that if it had been up to me I would have done as what you propose, but your master Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad did not accept a peaceful resolution!"
"So are you going to fight with this man (Hussain (A.S))?"
"Yes, by God, I will fight a battle the least consequence of which will be separated heads and broken arms!"
Now, it is evident that no longer can he play games with his religion. Now, the two separate their paths.
For Hur, Yazid's army of tens of thousands is now nothing more than a bunch of faces, without meaning. A crowd of men without selves, a group of people without hearts, those who shout but don't know why, fight but don't know for whom. Now the Jesus of love and conscience cures a blind and resurrects a dead, creating a martyr from a murderer. In a journey it is not enough to ask for the destination, but one should also ask from the origin. Thus, the length of Hur's journey becomes evident when one realizes from where he started, and to where he ended, all in half-a day's time. In his emigration from Satan to Allah, Hur did not study philosophy or theology, nor did he attend any lectures or schools. He just changed his direction, and it is in fact this "direction" which gives meaning to everything: art, science, literature, religion, prayers, hajj, Mohammad, Ali... Having started his journey, and riding his horse, he slowly leaves his Army toward Hussain. Mohajer ibn Ous, who sees him agitated and worried, asks:
"What’s wrong with you Hur? I am puzzled by your case, by God if I were asked about the bravest man in our army I wouldn’t hesitate to mention your name, and now you are so disturbed and worried?"
"I find myself between the Hell and the Heaven, and I have to select between them, and by God I will not choose but Heaven, even if I were cut to pieces or burnt to ashes!"
The creation of Hur was completed and the fire of doubt has led him to the verity of certitude. He slowly approaches the camp of Hussain, and as he gets closer he hangs his boots from his neck, and keeps his armor down (as a sign of remorse)
"I am the one who closed your path O Hussain (A.S)" He didn’t accept Hussain (A.S)'s invitation to rest for a while...
"Is there any repentance for me?" He can't wait any longer, he returns to the front and attacks the army of Omar with the most severe and bitter words, letting his ex-army and ex-commander know that he is no longer a slave, he is free, he is "Hur".
Umar ibn Saad, his ex-commander, responds by throwing an arrow and yelling
"Be witness and let the commander of the faithful know that I was the one to throw the first arrow at the army of Hussain!

And this was how the battle of Karbala started.........

This article borrowed from Ziaraat.com

Latimiyya - Ale Yaseen / by Ammar Al-Nashed Muharram 1438 / 2016 [With subtitles]

Great Scenes of Great Walk [2015]

Hussain Lives On | Muharram 2016
The heartbreaking reenactment of the day of days (Ashura) in Karbala Iraq.
Cinematography & Edited by: Nouri Sardar
'I Salute & Mourn' recited by: Sayed Ali Radhawi

قال امام الرضا عليه السلام:
كان أبي صلوات اللّه عليه إذا دخل شهر المحرم لا يرى‏ ضاحكا و كانت الكآبة تغلب عليه حتّى يمضي منه عشرة أيام، فإذا كان يوم العاشر كان ذلك اليوم يوم مصيبته و حزنه و بكائه، و يقول: هو اليوم الذي قتل فيه الحسين عليه السلام.

Imam Reza (A.S) said, "With the advent of the month of Muharram, my father Imam Kadhim (A.S) would never be seen laughing; gloom and sadness would overcome him for (the first) ten days of the month; and when the tenth day of the month would dawn, it would be a day of tragedy, grief and weeping for him and He would say, "This is the day on which Imam Hussein (A.S) was killed".
[Source: al-Amaali, Shaikh Saduq, Pg. 128]


Narrated from Imam Sadiq (A.S) from his Father (A.S) from his Grand Father (A.S):

أن حسين بن علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام) دخل يوما على الحسن (عليه السلام) فلما نظر إليه بكى فقال ما يبكيك قال أبكي لما يصنع بك فقال الحسن (عليه السلام) إن الذي يؤتى إلي سم يدس إلي فأقتل به و لكن لا يوم كيومك يا أبا عبد الله

Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S) entered on the day of (Martyrdom) Al-Hassan (A.S) and wept when he looked at him. Imam Hassan (A.S) said: What makes you cry?
He replied: that which is brought to you (Poison).
Imam Hassan (A.S) said: "And there is no day like your day O'Aba Abdillah."
[Source: Al-Lahoof - Sayed ibn Taoos Pg.25]

Ref: Ahlulbayt Global Information Center

The Tragedies of Lady Zainab (S.A) in the day of Ashura!
By: Sheikh Usama Al-Attar - 2014/1435 (Muharram)

Unite For Hussain - The 2016 Ashura Day Procession in London

In order for us to understand the significance and philosophy of mourning for Imam Hussein (A.S), it is necessary to take notice of the following points:
1. The Holy Quran has emphasized through many different verses on maintaining and reviving lofty virtues and traits of great men and noble religious leaders.
2. The great Shia Imams, peace be upon them, have encouraged us to keep the memory of the event of Karbala alive through different ways namely, holding mourning ceremonies, weeping and making others weep, reciting elegies and visiting the grave of the Chief of the Martyrs, Imam Hussein (A.S).
3. Muharram is the month of the victory of blood over sword. The event of Ashura has been and is inspiring nations and people all over the world to fight tyrant and unjust rulers. Therefore, remembering the event of Ashura and the suffering of Imam Hussein (A.S) and his family plays a key role in spreading his message across the world.
4. Mourning is a key element of unity and different nations' secret of success over the history. Most of the revolutions of the world have been inspired or in fact originated from the lessons learned from the epic of Ashura. An example of it is the liberation of the Indian Sub-continent from the English colonial rule. Hence, therefore, it can be said that mourning for Imam Hussein (A.S) has profuse benefits for Muslim Ummah including dignity, pride, maintenance of Islamic and religious culture and many more which on the whole indicate the importance of this great event.

The Shia Imams (A.S) and Different Ways of Mourning for Imam Hussein (A.S):
A) Holding Mourning Ceremonies:
One of the methods that the Imams used to keep the memory of the rise of Ashura alive was arranging gatherings for crying and mourning and making others cry for the tragic incidents that took place in Karbala and reminding people of those incidents on appropriate occasions.
Imam Sajjad would constantly cry and mourn for what had taken place on the day of Ashura during the years he was the Imam of the Ummah. He cried so much to the extent that he was known as and called one of the "Bakka’een" (those who cried very much). [Wasa’elul-Shia, vol. 2, pg. 922.]
Alqame Hadrami relates that Imam Baqir (A.S) would gather people in his house on the day of Ashura to cry and mourn, and the Imam himself would cry for his grandfather. There was no Taqiyyah involved and he would tell those in the house to cry for Imam Hossein and to express their condolences to each other on the day of his martyrdom. [Wasa’elul-Shia, vol. 2, pg. 398.]
On one occasion Imam Sadiq (A.S) told Dawood Ruqi: "I have never drunk cold water without remembering Imam Hossein." [Amali (Saduq), pg. 142.]
It is narrated in a hadith that Imam Reza (A.S) said: "When the month of Muharram would arrive no one would see my father (Imam Kazim) smile and sadness and sorrow would take over him until the day of Ashura. The tenth day of Muharram was the day of sorrow and sadness and tragedy and he would say: Today is the day in which Imam Hossein was martyred." [Mafatihul-Jinan, Sheikh Abbas Qummi, the section on the rituals and supplications of Muharram.]

B) Visitation of Imam Hussein's Grave Encouraged:
Commemorating the nobles and religious leaders and visiting the graves of the heroes have been a good custom, one that has been practiced by various nations. Among them, the chief of the martyrs and leader of freemen, Imam Hussein (A.S) is like a glamorous sun whose name and memory should be revived and remembered befittingly. There are so many sayings from the infallible leaders about the significance of visiting the grave of Imam Hussein (A.S) in Karbala. In fact, it can be said that those noble and divine leaders took advantage of every opportunity to encourage people to visit the luminous grave of the Chief of Martyrs (A.S). It was as though the Imams were committed to persuade people to visit the tomb of Imam Hussein (A.S) in Karbala. Not only did this create spiritual and intellectual union with the Imam but it was also a kind of campaign against the tyrant and the unjust rulers as it has always been and is the same even today. There are different narrations from the Infallibles of which we shall mention only one:
Imam Sadiq (A.S) said: "One who visits his shrine (of Imam Hussein) with eagerness and out of affection for the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P), Zahra (S.A) and the commander of the faithful (A.S), will be seated by Allah on the tablecloth of Paradise. He will dine with these holy personalities (Ahlulbayt (A.S)), while the others will be absorbed in the accounting of deeds." [Biharul-Anwar, vol. 24, pg. 284.]

Source: Islam quest.net

It is asked that if Imam Hussain (A.S) was victorious why do we cry? Why don’t we hold a celebration? Is it suitable to cry so much over a victory?
Those who make this criticism do not understand the philosophy behind mourning. They mistake the tears that the mourners of Imam Hussain shed with the weeps of weak individuals.
There are four types of crying or tears:
1. Tears of Joy: For example, the tears of a mother who has just found her child years after he went missing, or the tears of a lover who has just gained the satisfaction of the loved after years of struggle.
2. Tears of Compassion: Tears which stem from a healthy heart, not a heart that is as hard as a rock. These tears show the levels of compassion that a human has; for example, they are the tears that flow when one sees an orphan freezing in the cold and crying because he was separated from his father, or the tears that are seen when one witnesses the murder of an infant, such as the murder of the infant at Karbala.
3. Tears of Success: Sometimes one cries when he reaches his goals. In regards to Karbala, these tears are the tears that announce one’s loyalty to Imam Hussain and his companions that announce one’s loyalty to the struggle against oppression. Are such tears possible without knowing what the goals of Imam Hussain were?
4. Tears of Defeat: These are the tears of weak individuals who did not reach their goals and who do not have the motivation to continue. Never shed such tears for Imam Hussain, because he despises such tears. If you cry, make sure the tears you are shedding are happy tears, compassion tears, or tears of success.
However, knowing what Imam Hussain (A.S) and his companions stood for is more important than mourning. Practically aligning oneself with those goals is also more important than mourning.

Ref: Islamic Insight

You Cannot Die | Sayed Ali Radhawi | Muharram 1437 / 2015