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Brief Biography of Imam
Hussein
(a.s.)
Name:
Hussein.
Title: Sayyidu 'Sh-Shuhada'.
Agnomen: Abu 'Abdillah.
Father's name: 'Ali
( Amir al-Muminin.)
Mother's name: Fatimah (daughter of the Holy Prophet ).
Birth: In Medina on Thursday, 3rd Shaban 4 A.H.
Death: Martyred in Karbala' (Iraq) at the
age of 57, on Friday, 10th Muharram 61 A.H.(approx.
20 October 680 AD) and buried there.
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
Hussein, 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-Hussein, in compliance with Allah's command.
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas relates; "On the
very day when
Hussein 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.
"When the angel Futrus saw Gabriel, he
called out, 'Where are you going, O Gabriel?' To this he replied,
'Hussein, 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."
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
Hussein, 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.
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
Hossein 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
Hussein, 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
Hussein
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.
In order to safeguard the great
sanctuary, Imam
Hussein decided to leave Mecca for Kufah just a day
before the hajj pilgrimage. When asked the reason for the mysterious
departure from Mecca foregoing the pilgrimage which was only the next
day, Imam Husayn said that he would perform this year's pilgrimage at
Karbala', offering the sacrifice not of any animals, but of his kith and
kin and some faithful friends. He enumerated the names of his kith and
kin who would lay down their lives with him in the great sacrifice at
Karbala'.
The people of Kufah getting tired of the
tyrannic and satanic rule of Yazid, had written inumerable letters and
sent emissaries to Imam
Hussein to come over and give them guidance in
faith. Although Imam
Hussein knew the ultimate end of the invitations, he
as the divinely chosen Imam could not refuse to give the guidance sought
for. When the Holy Imam with his entourage had reached Karbala', his
horse mysteriously stopped and would not move any further. Upon this the
Holy Imam declared: "This is the land, the land of sufferings and
tortures." He alighted from his horse, and ordered his followers to
encamp there saying: "Here shall we be martyred and our children be
killed. Here shall our tents be burned and our family arrested. This is
the land about which my grandfather the Holy Prophet had foretold, and
his prophecy will certainly be fulfilled."
On the 7th of Muharram water supply to
the Imam's camp was cut and the torture of thirst and hunger started.
The Holy Imam's camp consisted of ladies, innocent children including
babies and some male members of the Holy Prophet's family; along with a
small band of some faithful friends of Imam
Hussein who had chosen to die
with the Holy Imam, fighting against the devil for the cause of Allah.
The Day of 'Ashoora
(10th of Muharram)
At dawn the Imam glanced over the army of
Yazid and saw 'Umar ibn Sad ordering his forces to march towards him. He
gathered his followers and addressed them thus: 'Allah has, this day,
permitted us to be engaged in a Holy War and He shall reward us for our
martyrdom. So prepare yourself to fight against the enemies of Islam
with patience and resistance. O sons of the noble and self-respecting
persons, be patient! Death is nothing but a bridge which you must cross
after facing trials and tribulations so as to reach Heaven and its joys.
Which of you do not like to go from this prison (world) to the lofty
palaces (Paradise)?"
Having heard the Imam's address, all his
companions were overwhelmed and cried out, "O our Master! We are all
ready to defend you and your Ahlu'l-bayt, and to sacrifice our lives for
the cause of Islam."
Imam
Hussein sent out from his camp one
after another to fight and sacrifice their lives in the way of the Lord.
Lastly, when all his men and children had laid down their lives, Imam
Hussein brought his six-month old baby son 'Ali al-Asghar, and offering
him on his own hands, demanded some water for the baby, dying of thirst.
The thirst of the baby was quenched by a deadly poisoned arrow from the
brute's forces, which pinned the baby's neck to the arm of the helpless
father. At last when the six-month old baby also was killed, Imam
Hussein
addressed Allah: "O Lord! Thy
Hussein has offered in Thy way whatever
Thou hath blessed him with. Bless Thy
Hussein, O Lord! with the
acceptance of this sacrifice. Everything
Hussein could do till now was
through Thy help and by Thy Grace." Lastly, Imam
Hussein came into the
field and was killed, the details of which merciless slaughter are heart
rending. The forces of Yazid having killed Imam Husayn, cut and severed
his head from his body and raised it on a lance. The severed head of the
Holy Imam began glorifying Allah from the point of the lance saying,
'Allahu Akbar'. "All glory be to Allah Who is the Greatest!"
After the wholesale, merciless and most
brutal slaughter of the Holy Imam with his faithful band, the helpless
ladies and children along with the ailing son of Imam
Hossein, Imam 'Ali
Zaynu'l-'Abidin, were taken captives.
We beseech the Most High and Almighty to make our effort of
enduring benefit and to help us in disseminating benevolence and
guidance.
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