Issue No: 215
7th November 2014
13th Muharram 1436 A.H.
Salamun alaykum
Bihamdillah this week we were blessed to observe Ashura, the pinnacle of the days of azadari. May Allah SWT accept our efforts and grant us the pleasure of the Ahlul Bayt a.s.
The Final Call:
The climax on the day was the recitation of maqtal-martyrdom epic- of Imam Husayn. It is narrated that on the 10th day of Muharram 61 A.H. (10th October 680 C.E.) the beloved grandson of the prophet, standing with blood flowing all over his body from the wounds he had suffered from the Yazidi forces, raised the call:
"Is there anyone who will come to assist us?
Is there anyone who will respond to our call for help?"
Surely Imam Husayn was not expecting anyone there in Karbala to come to his aid. Earlier on, since day break Imam had witnessed the commitment of his close companions and family who had faithfully submitted to martyrdom. The Imam had rushed to their side as they lay in their final moments of life in this mortal world. Then he had carried several dead bodies of his loved ones into his camp.
What was the response?
Against a lone man who was deeply hurt in body and heart, suffering in pain and anguish the responses given by the enemy forces under the command of Umar bin S’ad was an increased beating of drums, cheering and jeering at the Imam. This smacks of barbarism.
With the events of Ashura still fresh in our minds questions pop up:
Was Imam Husayn expecting any help?
Was the call only for the day of Ashura in 10th Muharram, 61 A.H.?
Is the call for assistance still relevant to this day?
Is your response to the final call for help by Aba Abdillah Imam Husayn a.s. restricted only to the days of Azadari?
The call by Imam Husayn on the day of Ashura did not end there. The life span of this call is neither restricted to the day of Ashura in 61 A.H. nor to the land of Karbala.
Why?
The purpose for exiting from Madina as explained by the Imam was his desire to seek reformation in the ummah of his grandfather, the Noble Prophet.
What is the state today?
The world today is still in need of upholding the values of justice and freedom. Man is still striving to achieve leading a life in submission to Allah. So the call for help by the Imam on the day of Ashura still reverberates to this day. The struggle to uphold the values for which the tragedy of Karbala occurred is still continuing. This is amplified in the famous quote: “Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala.”
How will you respond to Imam Husayn?
As you lift your hands in matam and raise your voices with “Ya Husayn” are you responding positively to this call for help?
Are you being with Imam Husayn for the objectives with which he had set out from Madina?
Will your zeal and enthusiasm to respond to the Imam fade away as the days pass after Ashura?
May Allah make great our reward and your reward, for our grief on Husayn a.s. May He place us and you from those who help his cause with His representative, the guided Imam from the family of Muhammad, peace be on them.
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah
Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat