Tag Archives: Husayn
A Tribute to the Beloved of the Beloved of Allah
https://www.iecrcna.org/site/classes/the-history-of-karbala-english/
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“Your best friend is your Din (religion)â€
“We live for others and not for ourselves.”
— Hazrat Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu
Hazrat Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu’s martyrdom on the 10th of Muharram is the ultimate tribute to sacrificing oneself for the sake of the greater good. When Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu was confronted with the call for pledging allegiance to Yazid, the ruler at that time, he radi Allahu anhu refused on account of the fact that Yazid was a tyrant and transgressor. Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu’s confrontation with Yazid was a call for justice and restoration of the Shari’ah. Yazid had done many anti-Shari’ah acts just one of which was that he had committed the sacrilegious act of tying horses to the Mosque of the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam, and they had soiled the blessed mosque. Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu exhorted and warned Yazid three times to give up his tyrannical and blasphemous ways and to pledge allegiance to the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam. However, this call for rectification fell on deaf ears.
Some 72 lovers of the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam were forced to take on the huge army of Yazid that had laid siege upon them. The martyrdom of Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu and the rest of the martyrs of Karbala was the price paid for the fortification and safeguarding of Islam and the guarantor for this religion having reached us today.
Seventy thousand angels alighted in the grave of Imam al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (may Allah Almighty be pleased with them both) on the day when he was mortally wounded, and they will continue to weep over him until the day of Resurrection. [Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]
Allah, The Most Exalted chose martyrdom for the grandson of our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam on the most noble of all days, the most glorious of them, the most majestic of them, and the most exalted of them in His sight. In doing so, the purpose of Allah Almighty was to grant our great Imam radi Allahu anhu increased elevation in degrees and tokens of special favor over and above the special favor he already enjoyed. By way of martyrdom, He Almighty caused him radi Allahu anhu to reach the stations of the rightly guided Khalifas, who died as martyrs. [Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]
Like the angels, those who have love in their hearts for Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu weep tears and feel pain on this sad day. However, it must not be observed as a day of tragic misfortune. Instead it must be regarded as an remarkable day full of blessings and opportunities to reap plentiful rewards from the Merciful One, The Most Exalted and attempt to perform as many righteous deeds as possible.
If it had ever been permissible to observe this day as the day of tragic misfortune, the Noble Companions and Successors (may Allah be pleased with them all) would have observed it as such, because they were more closely in touch with it than we are, and better qualified to understand its true significance. In actual fact, as we know from traditional reports about them that they used to urge people to treat their dependants with special generosity on that day and to observe it as a day of fasting. [Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]
It is highly recommended to fast on both the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
Ali Sher-e-Khuda aap ke hain pidar
Kar de Aaqa karam ki hum par ek nazar
Ummat-e-Naana aaj badi pareshan hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
Syeda Fatima ki aankhon ki thandak hain aap
Hazrat Hasan ke Mubarak bhai hain aap
Us Panjtan Pak ke chamakte sitaare hain aap
Jinki muhabbat is Ummat par farz hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
Aapne haq Karbala ka ada kar diya
Is Ummat par azeem ehsaan kar diya
Haq-o-baatil mein vaaze furqaan kar diya
Is Ummat ko aap par bada naaz hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
Raah-e-Haq mein aapne apni jaan di
Raaza-e-Ilahi pe har cheez qurban ki
Istiqamat-o-sabr ki aala taaleem di
Is Ummat ke aap pesh-o-imam hain
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
Naazil huay farishte sattar hazaar
Chali jab us pak gardan par talvaar
Bahaate hain aansoo vo zaar-o-qattaar
Har sachche Ummati ka bhi yahi haal hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
De Aaqa karam ki hum par ek nazarÂ
Radi Allahu anhu!
IECRC Commemorates the Martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husayn (May Allah be pleased with him)
Issue 10
February 2006 / Muharram 1427
Wa qul jaa al Haqqu
wa zahaqal baatil
Inna baatila kaana zahooqa
And proclaim,
“The Truth has arrived
and falsehood has vanished; indeed falsehood had to vanish.”
[The Holy Quran 17:81]
The timeless struggle between truth and falsehood, good and evil, is epitomized in no other chronicle of Islamic history than on the banks of the river Euphrates in the plains of Karbala, Iraq. What the soil of Iraq witnessed in 61 Hijra / 680 CE was a testimony and lesson for all time to come that sacrifices are inevitable on the Path of Truth and that those who are closest to their Lord and therefore most committed to the Path are to endure the severest of hardships.
To further this salient message, the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center of Northern California observed the momentous day of Ashura at its weekly Dhikr location in Fremont, California on Sunday, February 12, 2006. Derived from the Arabic word for ten, Ashura is commemorated on the 10th day of the Sacred month of Muharram, the first in the Islamic lunar calendar. This historic day carries in it the heartrending reminder of the martyrdom in Karbala of Hazrat Imam Husayn ibn Ali (may Allah be well pleased with them both), the most beloved grandson of the Beloved of Allah  Almighty, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Countless Peace & Prayers Of Allah Almighty Be Upon Him.)
The Crown of Saints, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (1077/8-1166 CE, may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) narrates authentic Prophetic traditions in his magnum opus, “Al-Ghunya li-Taalibi Tareeq al-Haqq “ rendered into English as “Sufficient Provision for Seekers of the Path of Truthâ€, that Ashura is the day in which Allah Almighty created the heavens and the earth, the Tablet and the Pen; it is also the day in which Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and his community were delivered from the unjust reins of the Pharaoh; it is also the day in which this world will come to an end; and above all it is the day that Allah Almighty chose to honor Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him) with his pre-ordained martyrdom to grant him the elevated rank of the martyrdom of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be well pleased with them). It is worth reflecting that despite the fact that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had been made aware of this fatal fate of Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him) by Angel Jibraeel (peace be upon him) as is taught to us through authentic Prophetic narrations; and despite the fact that any supplications by the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) to change this fate would have been accepted by Allah Almighty, no such prayer was made. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) chose and agreed to give up the life of His beloved grandson for the sake of His Ummah (community) so that we may learn the essential lessons of sacrifice. Peace Be Upon Him and His Noble Family! [For the benefit of our readers it must be pointed out here that committing suicide or taking the lives of civilians is completely antithetical to Islamic teachings.]
The great 11th century CE Sufi scholar, Hazrat Abul Hasan Syed Ali bin Uthman Hujweri famous as Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (may Allah be well pleased with him) writes in his encyclopedic treatise on Tasawwuf (Sufism), the “Kashf-ul-Mahjoob†rendered into English as “Unveiling the Veiledâ€:
“[Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him)] is one of the great Awliya Allah devoted exclusively to Allah and famous for renunciation, patience and forbearance in the hours of extreme affliction, such as that experienced in the massacre at Karbala.â€
Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (may Allah be well pleased with him) further quotes Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah be well pleased with him) in the Kashf-ul-Mahjoob:
“We are the people called Ahl-e-bala (sufferers).
We love bala (calamities) and feel pleased with it.
We live for others and not for ourselves.â€
This is the foundational spiritual teaching of Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) and the essential message of unconditional service to others that the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center (IECRC) attempts to convey and promote to the community through its various conferences, events and especially the Urs (memorial) days observed for the Awliya Kiram (Noble Friends of Allah Almighty or Sufi Saints, may Allah have mercy on them all). This is the message of all the Sufi Saints of the Islamic tradition. IECRC’s commemoration of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) in February 2006 in Fremont, California was no exception. Poignant couplets were recited by various community members including young children, reminding the audience of the great sacrifice that this luminary of the Islamic tradition gave in order to uphold the principles of Islam. He gave his head but did not pledge allegiance to the tyranny of the then ruler of the Muslims.
Seventy thousand angels alighted in the grave of Imam al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (may Allah Almighty be pleased with them both) on the day when he was mortally wounded, and they will continue to weep over him until the day of Resurrection.
[Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]
The highlight of IECRC’s commemorative evening was a most informative talk by Hafiz Prof. Dr. Mohammad Abdullah Qadri who delivered his important speech via telephone in which he emphasized the importance of remembering that those who are martyred in the Path of Allah Almighty are not to be considered dead as is taught by the Holy Quran. He also highlighted that Muslims should hold on tightly to the obligatory prayers and principles of Islam for the upholding of which Hazrat Imam Husayn (may Allah Almighty be well pleased with him) gave up his life.
Also quoted at this spiritual gathering were the profound words of Hazrat Allama Iqbal (may Allah have mercy on him), the great 19th century Urdu poet-philosopher of Pakistan:
Qatl-e-Husayn asal mein
marg-e Yazid hai
Islam zinda hota hai har Karbala ke baad
The slaughter of Husayn [Truth] is in reality the death of Yazid [Falsehood]
Islam is revived after every Karbala
The above couplet is an intense reminder of the ongoing struggle between good and evil, truth and falsehood that not just played itself out on the plains of Karbala, but is the constant activity of the human soul. Every moment we are faced with an inner battle between the lower (falsehood) and higher (truth) self and whenever the higher self wins it revives a state of peace, a state of Islam.
Responding to Tribulations in Our Times
Issue # 12
April 22, 2007 / Rabiuth Thani 1428
Immensely Blessed is He in Whose control is the entire Kingdom, and He has authority over everything. He, Who has created death and life that He might test you, as to whose work, is excellent among you. And He is the Esteemed One the Forgiving. [The Holy Quran 67:1-2]
It is clear from the aforementioned blessed verse of the Holy Quran that trials and hardships that face the human condition in the form of tests from Allah Almighty are a part and a parcel of His Divine Plan on this earth. Who has not experienced some type of hardship in life, be it in the form of loss of a loved one, loss of one’s health, or wealth. The question then arises: what is the purpose of the test? Is it ultimate harm or ultimate good? The answer lies in the same verse above. It is to see how one responds to the test. Whether the ultimate result of the test is harm or good depends on one’s own response to it. Does one exhibit patience (sabr) recognizing that the test is from the Almighty, Loving Creator and therefore can only carry goodness in it despite the apparent signs of harm? Does one express gratitude (shukr) to Allah Almighty appreciating the fact that one was considered worthy of such a weighty examination? Does one appreciate the fact that this opportunity for reflection (tafakkur), purification (tazkiya), repentance (tauba) and seeking forgiveness (istaghfar) will make a better, stronger person out of us? Or does one simply complain about the outward temporary losses not being able to see Allah Almighty’s Wisdom?
One simply has to turn the pages of history and observe the lives of the greatest people who have walked this earth – the Prophets (peace be upon them all), and the Saints (Awliya – may Allah Almighty be pleased with them and have mercy on them all) to see that when Allah Almighty wishes to grant His knowledge (marifat) & closeness (qurbat) to His servants, He Almighty sends hardships. One must remember, however, that the Prophets and Saints are Allah Almighty’s chosen people and their role on this earth is that of guiding the common folk. Therefore, the hardships they face are instructional for others and for the purpose of increasing them in infinite spiritual ranks with their Creator. The Crown of the Saints, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (b. 1077 CE, may Allah be pleased with him) says in his famous Sirr-ul-Asraar, “Allah created the spirit (rooh) in the finest formation in the realm of Divinity. Then He wished to reduce it to the lowest of the low, for the purpose of increasing intimacy and nearness.â€
The pious Hazrat Syeda Zaynab (May Allah be pleased with her), the beloved grand-daughter of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) experienced so many hardships in her life that she earned the title of Ummul Masaib, the “Mother of Hardships.†When she was six years old, her beloved Grandfather – our Beloved Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), who had honored her with the name Zaynab and placed His Blessed Saliva in her mouth, passed onto the Realm of Divine Beatitude. Six months later, her blessed mother Hazrat Syeda Fatima Zahra (May Allah be pleased with her) too joined her Blessed Father (Peace Be Upon Him). Upon reaching early adulthood, she witnessed the martyrdom of her beloved & respected father, Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him). Ten years later she witnessed the martyrdom of her dear brother Hazrat Imam Hasan (May Allah be pleased with him). And on the battlefield of Karbala, she lost her dear brother Hazrat Imam Husayn (May Allah be pleased with him) and nearly the rest of her entire family. However, in the face of such immense hardships she always stood tall for the Truth against the wrong-doers. Her words of fortitude, courage, and resilience reverberate the passageways of history providing inspiration to both women & men today.
There is a famous narration regarding the great 8th century CE Saint Hazrat Rabia Basri (May Allah be pleased with him) regarding the response to hardships. A Saint was asked about how one should respond to hardships and he said, †with patience (sabr)â€. Another Saint was asked the same question and he replied, “with gratitude (shukr)â€. When Hazrat Rabia (May Allah be pleased with him) was asked the very same question, she said that one should be so engrossed in love (ishq) for Allah Almighty and His Messenger (Peace Be upon Him) that one cannot even see the hardship!
It is clear from the writings and sayings of all the great scholars and saints that the foremost response to hardships in life is patience. Indeed Allah Almighty Himself commands us in the Holy Quran to seek help from prayer and patience. [Al-Quran, 2:45] As Hazrat Syeda Zaynab’s (May Allah be pleased with her) blessed father, the Gate of Knowledge (Babul-‘Ilm), from whom she directly learnt, Hazrat Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) writes in his famous Nahjatul Balagha that the relationship of patience (sabr) to faith (iman) is like that of the head to the body. He (May Allah be pleased with him) further says as is reported in the famous Kashful Mahjoob of the 11th century CE scholar and Saint, Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (May Allah be pleased with him) that, “I have recognized my Lord (marifat) in the breaking of plans.â€
Allah Almighty also states in the Holy Quran that He appreciates gratitude [Al-Quran, 4:147] The scholars have said that one must say “Alhamdulillah ‘alaa kulli haal,†i.e. all praises are to Allah Almighty in every condition. When one adopts such a response to one’s hardships then the angels pray for one’s forgiveness and deliverance. Whether Allah Almighty has given us an apparent blessing or an apparent hardship, in every situation one must say “Alhamdulillah.†It is also very important to remember that what may seem as an apparent blessing may also indeed be a test. As Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh (May Allah be pleased with him) warns us in his Kashful Mahjoob that, “a blessing is truly a blessing when it guides you towards Allah Almighty. If it veils you from the Giver, then it is a hardship (bala).†In the eloquent words of the great 12th century CE Persian poet, Shaykh Saadi (May Allah be pleased with him) (translated):
Aysh vo kya jo halaakat ka sabab ban jaae
Jis ka anjaam ho raahat vo museebat achchi
May Allah Almighty give us the guidance (taufeeq) to follow in the footsteps of our pious predecessors and may He Almighty grant us a portion of their patience in our hardships and may He grant us that spiritual station (maqam) that we are so engrossed in His and His Beloved’s (Peace Be Upon Him) love that the hardships become invisible to us. Ameen.
Syeda Shagufta Ahmad Qadri
