The Council of Islamic Guidance Inc.

Karbala - An Enduring Paradigm
Ashura, Misrepresentations and Distortions
A'maal Ashura [PDF]

In the house of the Holy Prophet, which presented the best image of both the worlds - the heaven and the earth - a child who benefited humanity as if he was a Divine Impression reflecting the earth, was born on one of the nights of the month of Shaban. His father was Imam 'Ali, the best model of kindness towards his friends and the bravest against the enemies of Islam, and his mother was Hadrat Fatimah, the only daughter and child of the Holy Prophet, who had as universally acknowledged, inherited the qualities of her father.

Imam Husayn, is the third Apostolic Imam. When the good news of his birth reached the Holy Prophet, he came to his daughter's house, took the newly-born child in his arms, recited adhan and iqamah in his right and left ears respectively, and on the 7th day of his birth, after performing the rites of 'aqiqah, named him al-Husayn, in compliance with Allah's command.

'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas relates; "On the very day when Imam Husayn was born, Allah ordered angel Gabriel to descend and congratulate the Holy Prophet on His Behalf and on his own. While descending, Gabriel passed over an island where the angel Futrus had been banished due to his delay in executing a commission assigned by Allah. He was deprived of his wings and expelled to the island where he remained for several years praying and worshipping Allah and asking for His forgiveness.

Imam Husayn said: "People are the slaves of this world, and religion is just on their tongue. They keep it as long as it meets their comfortable life. But when the test comes, religion holders become very few."

"When the angel Futrus saw Gabriel, he called out, 'Where are you going, O Gabriel?' To this he replied, 'Husayn, the grandson of Muhammad is born, and for this very reason Allah has commanded me to convey His congratulations to His Apostle.' Thereupon, the angel said, 'Can you carry me also along with you? May Muhammad recommend my case to Allah.' Gabriel took the angel along with him, came to the Holy Prophet, offered congratulations to him on behalf of Allah and himself and referred the case of the angel to him. The Holy Prophet said to Gabriel , 'Ask the angel to touch the body of the newly-born child and return to his place in Heaven.' On doing this, the angel re-obtained his wings instantly and praising he Holy Prophet and his newly-born grandson, ascended towards the Heaven."

Imam Husayn said: "I revolted not for wickedness nor for fame. Verily I rose only to seek for rectification in the nation of my grandfather, The Messenger of Allah".

Hasan and Husayn, the two sons of the Holy Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and Hadrat Fatimah, our Lady of Light, were respected and revered as the 'Leaders of the Youths of Paradise' as stated by the Holy Prophet.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him and his progeny, had openly prophesied that the faith of Islam would be rescued by his second grandson Husayn, when Yazid, son of Muawiyah, would endeavor to destroy it.

Yazid was known for his devilish character and brutish conduct. He was known as the most licentious of men. The people having known and understood the character of Yazid, formed a covenant by which Muawiyah could not appoint Yazdi as his successor. This undertaking was given by Muawiyah to Imam Hasan from whom Muawiyah had snatched power. Muawiyah violated this undertaking and nominated Yazid who succeeded his father.

Imam Husayn once said: "O Allah, what did he find who lost you, and what did he lose who found you?"

Immediately as he came to power, Yazid began acting in full accordance with his known character. He started interfering in the fundamentals of the faith and practiced every vice and wickedness freely with the highest degree of impunity and yet held himself out as the successor of the Holy Prophet, demanding allegiance to himself as the leading guide of the faith. Paying allegiance to Yazid was nothing short of acknowledging the devil as God. If a divine personality like the Holy Imam Husayn had agreed to his authority, it would be actually recommending the devil to humanity in place of God. Yazid demanded allegiance from the Holy Imam Husayn, who could have never agreed to it at any cost. The people fearing death and destruction at the hands of the tyrant had yielded to him out of fear. Imam Husayn said that come whatever may, he would never yield to the devil in place of God and undo what his grandfather, the Holy Prophet had established.

The refusal of the Holy Imam to pay allegiance to this fiend, marked the start of the persecution of the Holy Imam. As a result he had retired to Medina where he led a secluded life. Even here he was not allowed to live in peace and was forced to seek refuge in Mecca - where also he was badly harassed, and Yazid plotted to murder him in the very precincts of the great sanctuary of Kabah.