Ashura and the first lesson from Imam Hussain

Happy birthday of Imam Hussain to the Imam of our time, Imam Mahdi, and to all the believers.

Ashura – The holy shrine of Imam Hussain in Karbala

In this post , I’d like to translate a part of an speech made by a great philosopher and scholar, Ayatullah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi who is fortunately alive and lives in the city of Qom in Iran. I read the text of that speech in his official website in the recent days and I found it inspiring. It was about the first lesson from the martyrdom of  Imam Hussain (PBUH) in some parts

The first lesson from the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (PBUH) is that we should not concern ourselves about the future consequences, if we work to the glory of God. The good results will be achieved surely even if the present results do not seem pleasant; it may be achieved in the future years and the society will be benefited from.

Ayatullah Mesbah Yazdi said that Imam Hussain was satisfied with what he did although he gave everything he had because he worked to the glory of God and provided the long-lasting conditions for the Islamic society to be reformed…

 

 

Peace be upon Imam Hussain, the inheritor of Jesus

Today is the first day of the holy month of Rajab, one of the third holy months in the Islamic calendar: Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadan. Fasting and pilgrimage (Ziyarat) of Imam Hussain (PBUH) are recommended to do on this day and there is some praying (Duas) to be read at the time of the pilgrimage of Imam Hussain when you are at the holy shrine of Imam Hussain or far away from it. Ziyarat Warith (the inheritor) is one of these small praying which begins with the peaces upon the holy prophets:

Peace be upon you, O the inheritor of Adam, the one chosen by God,

Peace be upon you, O the inheritor of Noah, the Prophet of God,

Peace be upon you, O the inheritor of Abraham, the friend of God,

Peace be upon you, O the inheritor of Moses, the one who talked to God,

Peace be upon you, O the inheritor of Jesus, the spirit of God,

Click on the image to enlarge

Imam Hussain, the inheritor of prophet Jesus

Peace be upon you, O the inheritor of Muhammad, the beloved friend of God,

Peace be upon you, O the inheritor of Imam Ali, the God’s guardian.

Peace be upon you, O the son of Muhammad Musatafa

Peace be upon you, O the son of Ali Mortaza (the first Shia Imam and Lady Fatima’s husband)

Peace be upon you, O the son of Fatima (the holy prophet Muhammad’s daughter),

Peace be upon you, O the son of Khadijah Al- Kubra (the holy prophet Muhammad’s wife)

…continue to read the Ziyarat Warith at here

Ziyarat Warith was said by the 6th Shia Imam, Imam Sadiq (PBUH).

 

 

Day of Ashura: Quote about Imam Husayn by Imam Khamenei

Imam Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic nations have quotes about the prophet Muhammad’s grandson and the third Shia Imam, Imam Husayn (PBUH):

Ashura

Imam Khamenei said:

We should contemplate how just 50 years after demise of the prophet [Muhammad](PBUH), the Islamic society reached a point that a person like Imam Hussain had no choice but to make such a sacrifice to save the islamic society?

 

The above Image was made by Khamenei.ir

Mahdi is the promised man from the descendant of Husayn

The promised Mahdi is the last savoir of Man who is living among us now. He is a man from the descendant of Husayn, the prophet Muhammad’s grandson.

The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who is the last prophet sent by God had said about Mahdi:

قال النبی (صلی الله علیه وآله): “لاتذهب الدنیا حتّی یقومَ بأمر أُمتّی رجل من ولدالحسین یملأها عدلا کما ملئت ظلماً و جوراً

“The world will not come to an end until a man from the descendants of Husayn takes charge of the affairs of the world and fills it with justice and equity as it is filled with injustice and tyranny.”
-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); Bihar al-anwar, Vol. 51, P. 66

Mahdi

Muslim people also believes in Jesus (PBUH) as the holy prophet of God. Muslims believes that Jesus was not killed according to what is written in the holy Quran and he will reappear to help Imam Mahdi. Read more here.

Mahdi

The above image was prepared for social networks

Click on the image to enlarge

The background image is the holy Jamkaran mosque which was built by Imam Mahdi’s command. The mosque is now in the city of Qom, Iran.

Day of Ashura- Imam Husayn Quote 3

There are more than 2 months left to our new year in Iran but happy new year to all my brothers and sisters at other countries.

In the new year, Let’s accept apologies of others like Imam Husayn (PBUH)

Ashura

“If someone vilifies me in my right ear and then apologizes for it in my left ear, I will surely accept his apology because I heard Imam Ali (PBUH) narrate a saying from my grandfather, the Prophet of God, that

The one who does not accept apologies, whether the apology is true or not, will not pass the pond of al-Kawthar.”

Ref. : Ehqaq Al-Haq: V. 11, P.431; Mizan Al-Hekmah: V. 1, P. 330

 

قال َحُسَینِ بن على(علیه السلام): لَو شَتَمَنى رَجُلٌ فى هذِهِ الاُذُنِ، وَ أَومى إلىَ الیُمنى، وَ اعتَذَرَ لى فىِ الاُخرى لَقَبِلتُ ذلِکَ مِنهُ، وَ ذلِکَ أَنَ أَمیرَ المُؤمِنینَ (علیه السلام) حَدَثَنى أَنَهُ سَمِعَ جَدى رَسُولَ اللهِ (صلى الله علیه وآله)یَقُولُ: لا یَرِدُ الحَوضَ مَن لَم یَقبَلِ العُذرَ مِن مُحِقٍ أَو مُبطِل

(إحقاق الحقّ: ج 11، ص 431)

امام حسین علیه السلام فرموده اند: اگر شخصی در گوش راستم مرا دشنام دهد و در گوش چپم معذرت‌خواهی کند از او گذشت می‌نمایم، چون که پدرم علی علیه السلام، از جدم رسول خداصلی الله علیه و آله روایت کرد: کسی که عذرخواهی دیگران را چه موجه و چه ناموجه نپذیرد، بر حوض کوثر وارد نخواهد شد

Day of Ashura: Rise up to Reform

Imam Husayn wrote a will to his brother before guoing out of Medina toward Iraq and explain his goal in it:

Ashura

“I did not rise up for the cause of wickedness, amusement, corruption or oppression, but I rose up to reform the Muslim community of my grandfather [Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)]. I want to promote virtue and prevent vice.”

اني لم اخرج اشرا و لا بطرا و لامفسدا و لاظالما انما خرجت لطلب الاصلاح

في امة جدي و اريد ان امر با لمعروف و انهي عن المنكر

Bihar Al-Anvar: V.44, P. 329

Read more at this book (The Truth Hussain’s (A.S) Revolt)

 Follow us on Instagram: @husayn.ashura

Show Your Love Toward Husayn on Arbaeen

When I was younger, I was seeing people in love with imam Husayn and I tried to understand this kind of Love but I couldn’t feel it. I could not understand the feeling of those people who want to go to Karbala as a pilgrim of Imam Husayn despite all troubles and dangers over there. Walking 80 Km to the holy shrine of Imam Husayn on the day of Arbaeen is a ridiculous way to choose despite all existing vehicle in theses days,  but definitely It is a way to show our love toward Husayn to the world and let all the people in the world know that there is a true love differed from the other loves tried to show by Hollywood movies.

 

“God Loves who loves Hussain”

احب الله من احب حسینا

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Walking on #Arbaeen is a way to introduce a man who gave all he had for God’s sake to save the last version of the religion from utter distortions; Walking on Arbaeen is a way to hasten the reappearance of Imam Mahdi.

 

See more at  Arbaeen

Mahdi will introduce himself by Hussain and the event of Ashura

Imam Mahdi is a man from the descendant of the holy prophet Muhammad and Imam Hussain (PBUH). Imam Mahdi is the 12th imam who Shia Muslims believe that he was born in year 255 (869) and he is now living among people although they do not know him.

It’s narrated that when Imam Mahdi reappeared, he will stand next to Ka’ba in Mecca, introduce himself by Imam Hussain and what happened on Ashura to him and state clearly five sentences:

Click on the image to enlarge

Mahdi

Why did Ashura happen? The three causes of Imam Hussain revolution

In the previous post, I made an image about why Imam Hussain (PBUH) rose up as stated in his will, but that was not the only reason for Imam Hussain to revolt.

The holy shrine of Imam Hussain (PBUH) in Karbala, Iraq. A photo taken in Muharram 2016

There are three main causes explained in Martyr Mortaza Motahhari’s book written according to the Islamic quotes for why Imam Hussain rose up against Yazid’s government and why Ashura happened.

1-Imam Hussain rejected to pledge allegiance to the immoral and non-Muslim man such as Yazid who wanted to be a ruler of Muslim community despite the threatens made by Yazid’s government because swearing allegiance to Yazid indicated not only accepting Yazid as a ruler but also accepting the wrong way of succession determination was being established for the first time by Yazid’s father in the Muslim community. The thing that was not permitted in Islam and both Shia and Sunni sects.

2-About 100,000 people of Kufa sent 18,000 letters to Imam Hussain and invited him to come to Iraq and re-establish an Islamic government, although they forgot their invitation and leave Imam Hussain to be alone against the 30,000 people of Yazid’s Army and even they helped the Army!  This invitation cause Imam to have no choice other than to accept their request

3- Reforming the Muslim community and promoting virtue and preventing vice was the third and the main reason for Ashura uprising. Imam Hussain had found about his cousin, Moslem (the son of Aghil), martyrdom on the way to Kufa, therefor Imam could have refused the invitation sent by the people of Kufa and come back to Mecca,  but he did not stop going to Kufa until Yazid’s Army stop him and his companions in a land called Karbala. Imam Hussain himslef stated this main reason openly in his will to his brother before traveling to Kufa. You can see a part of Imam Hussain will in the following image:

“I did not rise up for the cause of wickedness, amusement, corruption or oppression, but I rose up to reform the Muslim community of my grandfather [Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)]. I want to promote virtue and prevent vice.”

اني لم اخرج اشرا و لا بطرا و لامفسدا و لاظالما انما خرجت لطلب الاصلاح

في امة جدي و اريد ان امر با لمعروف و انهي عن المنكر

Bihar Al-Anvar: V.44, P. 329

 

-Read more explanation in this book (The Truth Hussain’s (A.S) Revolt) which I found on the internet and It is an English translation and abstract of the original book written by martyar Mortaza Mutahhari, an Islamic philosopher who Imam Khomeini invited all the people to read his books.

 

First night of Muharram 2016: A Quote about Muharram by Imam Reza

Tonight is the first night of Muharram in 2016.

Although Imam Hussain (PBUH) and his family and companions have not arrived yet to Karbala in such day but mourning ceremonies have got started at all over the cities in Iran as well as other countries by Shia Muslim people to follow Imam Reza’s mourning style for the martyrdom anniversary of the holy prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussain. Read more about Imam Reza’s style at here

Imam Reza, the 8^th beloved Imam, said about his father, Imam Musa (Moses) Kazem (PBUH):

“No one could have seen my father’s smile when the month of Muharram came. Sadness was increasing in his face day by day till the tenth of Muharram [day of Ashura] and when the tenth day of Muharram would dawn, it would be a day of grief and weeping for him.”

Why Did Imam Hussain Rise Up on Ashura? A Quote By Imam Hussain 3

Ashura

Imam Hussain (PBUH) explained his revolutionary goal as a will which he wrote to his brother, Muhammad bin Al-Hanifiah. The text in the above image is a part of Imam Hussain’s will:

اني لم اخرج اشرا و لا بطرا و لامفسدا و لاظالما انما خرجت لطلب الاصلاح في امة جدي و اريد ان امر با لمعروف و انهي عن المنكر

“I did not rise up for the cause of wickedness, amusement, corruption or oppression, but I rose up to reform the Muslim community of my grandfather [Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)]. I want to promote virtue and prevent vice.”

Ref.: Bihar Al-Anvar: V.44, P. 329.

 

Accept Apologies Like Imam Hussain – Imam Hussain Quote 2

“If someone vilifies me in my right ear and then apologizes for it in my left ear, I will surely accept his apology because I heard Imam Ali (PBUH) narrate a saying from my grandfather, the Prophet of God, that

The one who does not accept apologies, whether the apology is true or not, will not pass the pond of al-Kawthar.”

Ref. : Ehqaq Al-Haq: V. 11, P.431; Mizan Al-Hekmah: V. 1, P. 330

 

قال َحُسَینِ بن على(علیه السلام): لَو شَتَمَنى رَجُلٌ فى هذِهِ الاُذُنِ، وَ أَومى إلىَ الیُمنى، وَ اعتَذَرَ لى فىِ الاُخرى لَقَبِلتُ ذلِکَ مِنهُ، وَ ذلِکَ أَنَ أَمیرَ المُؤمِنینَ (علیه السلام) حَدَثَنى أَنَهُ سَمِعَ جَدى رَسُولَ اللهِ (صلى الله علیه وآله)یَقُولُ: لا یَرِدُ الحَوضَ مَن لَم یَقبَلِ العُذرَ مِن مُحِقٍ أَو مُبطِل

(إحقاق الحقّ: ج 11، ص 431)

Day of Ashura : A Quote about Imam Hussain by Edward Gibbon

Ashura

A quote about Imam Hussain by Edward Gibbon, an English historian and a member of parliament, during a mourning ritual on the day of Ashura in London.

“In a distant age and climate the tragic scene of the death of Hussain will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.” – Edward Gibbon.

Ashura At All Times : The instruction by Imam Khomeini

Imam Khomeini who was the founder of Islamic Republic of Iran had described Imam Hussain’s instruction in his speech:

Ashura

“…They do not know that weeping for Imam Husayn (A) means

Ashura: Why Shia Muslims do not fast on the day of Ashura?

Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. Shia muslims consider Ashura a day of sorrow and grief as the holy prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussain, and all 72 of his companions were martyred on this day in Karbala. Therefor it is recommended not to eat or drink on Ashura till noon to mimic the one with a great sorrow, but fasting on the day of Ashura is disapproved (Makruh) according to religious opinions (Fatwas) of Shia scholars such as Imam Khamenei.

ashura

 

Although Ashura is a day of sorrow for Imam Hussain lovers but it was a celebration for the enemies of the prophet Muhammd’s grandson. They fast on this day and even built some mosques to show their happiness. That’s why Shia Imams recommend us not to fast on the day of Ashura:

Asking Imam Reza (the 8th Imam of Shiite Muslims) about fasting on the day of Ashura; Imam Reza replayed: “Do you ask about fasting of Marjanah’s son? The day of Ashura is a day in which Ziyad family’s wicked members fast for the happiness of Imam Hussain killing…” [1]