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Ashra-e-Awwal 1436 Majalis 25th Oct– 6 Nov 2014

Speaker: Moulana Maqbool Hussain Alavi Sahib

2 Day Majalis Aza

8th Nov & 9th Nov Speaker:

Moulana S. Tilmez Hassnain Sahib

Imam Hussain Rally (Sat Nov 1st)

For Further Information :

Tele Message: (403) 235-1212 OR

visit: www.hussainicalgary.com

M e s s a g e f r o m p r e s i d e n tM e s s a g e f r o m p r e s i d e n tM e s s a g e f r o m p r e s i d e n t

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In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful Salaam-un-Alykum Dear Momineen & Mominaat, We thank Allah (swt) for giving us yet another chance to commemorate the month of mourning for the grandson of the Prophet (S) & son of Imam Ali & Hazrat Fatima (pbut) who sacrificed his life along with his family members and companions almost 1400 years back and were killed by the ter-rorist of that era. We commemorate Ashura‟ to symbolize and express our grief and emotions to-wards the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussain (a), to keep Imam Hussain‟s (a) cause alive in our hearts and to be committed to his cause Also, we want to extract lessons from the tragedy of Karbala and apply them to our daily lives. We want to pay our condolences to the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahlul Bayt (a) Furthermore, crying for Imam Hussain (a) is considered seeking nearness to Allah (swt) for the tragedy of Karbala is bound to the great sacrifice which Imam al-Hussain (a) endured for the sake of Allah (swt) and for Islam. It is only when your heart is soft and absorbable that you feel the sense of closeness to Allah (S). May Allah (swt) accept our azadaari and our A‟amal during the month of Muharram. Ameen. Riyaz Khawaja President

Al-Hujjat (atfs) Vol.3- Issue No 1- Muharram-1436 / October-November 2014

In t h i s i s sue :

Imam Hussain (a) & His Martyrdom

2-7

The Beauty of Hussain & Karbala

7

What Non-Muslims Say About Hussain (a)

8-9

Karbala 10

Imam Hussain & Muharram 11/12

Duty of Preachers During Muharram

13

Advertisements 13-14

Prayer Timings 15

Ayat of the Month 16

Event at a glan c e

The month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, brings with it the memory of the sacrifice of Imam Husayn. This short text reflects the deep admiration of its author towards Imam Hussain [a] and an insight into the tragedy of Karbala. Introduction The month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, brings with it the memory of the sacrifice of Imam Husayn (a), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (s), and his noble family and friends. This short text reflects the deep admiration of its author towards Imam Husayn (a) and an insight into the tragedy of Karbala, its reasons and its consequences. It is presented with the hope that it will foster the Islamic unity and the brotherly love that the author seeks in his preface. The author, of course, is none other than the well-known Sunni English translator and commentator of the Qur'an, Abdullah Yusuf „Ali, who died in 1952 in England. Little would he have known that his English translation and commentary of the Qur'an would become so popular in the West and East alike, wherever English is read and understood. And little would he have known that later editions of his Qur'an translation and commentary would undergo tampering such that favorable references to Imam Husayn (a) would be deleted, amongst other changes! Perhaps there are some out there who want to see the memory of Imam Hussayn (a) wiped out. Perhaps Karbala is not quite over yet. Preface The following pages are based on a report of an Address which I delivered in London at an Ashura Majlis on Thursday the 28th May, 1931 (Muharram 1350 A.H.), at the Waldorf Hotel. The report was subsequently corrected and slightly expanded. The Majlis was a notable gathering, which met at the invitation of Mr. A. S. M. Anik. Nawab Sir Umar Hayat Khan, Tiwana, presided and members of all schools of thought in Islam, as well as non-Muslims, joined reverently in doing honour to the memory of the great Martyr of Islam. By its inclusion in the Progressive Islam Pamphlets series, it is hoped to reach a larger public than were able to be present in person. Perhaps, also, it may help to strengthen the bonds of brotherly love which unite all who hold sacred the ideals of brotherhood preached by the Prophet in his last Sermon. A. Yusuf „Ali. Sorrow as a Bond of Union I am going to talk this afternoon about a very solemn subject, the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala‟, of which we are celebrating the anniversary. As the Chairman has very rightly pointed out, it is one of those wonderful events in our religious history about which all sects are agreed. More than that, in this room I have the honour of addressing some people who do not belong to our religious persuasion, but I venture to think that the view I put forward today may be of interest to them from its historical, its moral and its spiritual significance. Indeed, when we consider the background of that great tragedy, and all that has happened during the 1289 lunar years since, we cannot fail to be convinced that some events of sorrow and apparent defeat are really the very things which are calculated to bring about, or lead us towards, the union of humanity. How Martyrdom healed divisions When we invite strangers or guests and make them free of our family circle, that means the greatest outflowing of our hearts to them. The events that I am going to describe refer to some of the most touching incidents of our domestic history in their spiritual aspect. We ask our brethren of other faiths to come, and share with us some of the thoughts which are called forth by this event. As a matter of fact all students of history are aware that the horrors that are connected with the great event of Karbala‟ did more than anything else to unite together the various contending factions which had unfortunately appeared at that early stage of Muslim history. You know the old Persian saying applied to the Prophet: Tu barae wasl kardan amadi; Ni barae fasl kardan amadi. “Thou camest to the world to unite, not to divide.” That was wonderfully exemplified by the sorrows and sufferings and finally the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. Commemoration of great virtues There has been in our history a tendency sometimes to celebrate the event merely by wailing and tribulation, or sometimes by symbols like the Tazias that you see in India, - Taboots as some people call them. Well, symbolism or visible emblems may sometimes be useful in certain circumstances as tending to crystallise ideas. But I think the Muslims of India of the present day are quite ready to adopt a more effective way of celebrating the martyrdom, and that is by contemplating the great virtues of the martyr, trying to understand the significance of the events in which he took part, and translating those great moral and spiritual lessons into their own lives.

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From that point of view I think you will agree that it is good that we should sit together, even people of different faiths, - sit together and consider the great historic event, in which were exemplified such soul-stirring virtues as those of unshaken faith, undaunted courage, thought for others, willing self-sacrifice, steadfastness in the right and unflinching war against the wrong. Islam has a history of beautiful domestic affections, of sufferings and of spiritual endeavour, second to none in the world. That side of Muslim history, although to me the most precious, is, I am sorry to say, often neglected. It is most important that we should call attention to it, reiterated attention, the attention of our own people as well as the attention of those who are interested in historical and religious truth. If there is anything precious in Islamic history it is not the wars, or the politics, or the brilliant expansion, or the glorious conquests, or even the intellectual spoils which our

ancestors gathered. In these matters, our history, like all history, has its lights and shades. What we need especially to emphasise is the spirit of organisation, of brotherhood, of undaunted courage in moral and spiritual life. Plan of discourse I propose first to give you an idea of the geographical setting and the historical background. Then I want very briefly to refer to the actual events that happened in the Muharram, and finally to draw your attention to the great lessons which we can learn from them. Geographical Picture In placing before you a geographical picture of the tract of country in which the great tragedy was enacted, I consider myself fortunate in having my own personal memories to draw upon. They make the picture vivid to my mind, and they may help you also. When I visited those scenes in 1928, I remember going down from Baghdad through all that country watered by the Euphrates river. As I crossed the river by a bridge of boats at Al-Musaiyib on a fine April morning, my thoughts leapt over centuries and centuries. To the left of the main river you have the old classic ground of Babylonian history; you have the railway station of Hilla; you have the ruins of the city of Babylon, witnessing to one of the greatest civilisations of antiquity. It was so mingled with the dust that it is only in recent years that we have begun to understand its magnitude and magnificence. Then you have the great river system of the Euphrates, the Furat as it is called, a river unlike any other river we know. It takes its rise in many sources from the mountains of Eastern Armenia, and sweeping in great zig-zags through rocky country, it finally skirts the desert as we see it now. Wherever it or its interlacing branches or canals can reach, it has converted the desert into fruitful cultivated country; in the picturesque phrase, it has made the desert blossom as the rose. It skirts round the Eastern edge of the Syrian desert and then flows into marshy land. In a tract not far from Karbala‟ itself there are lakes which receive its waters, and act as reservoirs. Lower down it unites with the other river, the Tigris, and the united rivers flow in the name of the Shatt-al-Arab into the Persian Gulf. Abundant water & tragedy of thirst From the most ancient times this tract of the lower Euphrates has been a garden. It was a cradle of early civilisation, a meeting place between Sumer and Arab, and later between the Persians and Arabs. It is a rich, well watered country, with date-palms and pomegranate groves. Its fruitful fields can feed populous cities and its luscious pastures attract the nomad Arabs of the desert, with their great flocks and herds. It is of particularly tragic significance that on the border of such a well-watered land, should have been enacted the tragedy of great and good men dying of thirst and slaughtered because they refused to bend the knee to the forces of iniquity. The English poet's lines “Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink” are brought home forcibly to you in this borderland between abundant water and desolate sands. Karbala’ and Its Great Dome I remember the emotion with which I approached Karbala‟ from the East. The rays of the morning sun gilt the Gumbaz-i-Faiz, the great dome that crowns the building containing the tomb of Imam Husayn. Karbala‟ actually stands on one of the great caravan routes of the desert. Today the river city of Kufa, once a Khilafat capital, is a mere village, and the city of Najaf is famous for the tomb of Hazrat „Ali, but of little commercial importance. Karbala‟, this outpost of the desert, is a mart and a meeting ground as well as a sacred place. It is the port of the desert, just as Basra, lower down, is a port for the Persian Gulf. Beautifully kept is the road to the mausoleum, to which all through the year come pilgrims from all parts of the world. Beautiful coloured enamelled tiles decorate the building. Inside, in the ceiling and upper walls, there is a great deal of glass mosaic. The glass seems to catch and reflect the light. The effect is that of rich coruscations of light combined with the solemnity of a closed building. The tomb itself is in a sort of inner grill, and below the ground is a sort of cave, where is shown the actual place where the Martyr fell.

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The city of Najaf is just about 40 miles to the South, with the tomb of Hazrat „Ali on the high ground. You can see the golden dome for miles around. Just four miles from Najaf and connected with it by a tramway, is the deserted city of Kufa. The mosque is large, but bare and practically unused. The blue dome and the Mihrab of enamelled tiles bear witness to the ancient glory of the place.

Cities and their Cultural Meaning

The building of Kufa and Basra, the two great outposts of the Muslim Empire, in the 16th year of the Hijra, was a visible symbol that Islam was pushing its strength and building up a new civilisation, not only in a military sense, but in moral and social ideas and in the sciences and arts.

The old effete cities did not content it, any more than the old and effete systems which it displaced. Nor was it content with the first steps it took. It was always examining, testing, discarding, re-fashioning its own handiwork. There was always a party that wanted to stand on old ways, to take cities like Damascus readymade, which loved ease and the path of least resistance. But the greater souls stretched out to new frontiers - of ideas as well as geography.

They felt that old seats were like dead wood breeding worms and rottenness that were a danger to higher forms of life. The clash between them was part of the tragedy of Karbala‟. Behind the building of new cities there is often the burgeoning of new ideas. Let us therefore examine the matter a little more closely. It will reveal the hidden springs of some very interesting history.

Vicissitudes of Mecca and Medina

The great cities of Islam at its birth were Mecca and Medina. Mecca, the centre of old Arabian pilgrimage, the birthplace of the Prophet, rejected the Prophet's teaching, and cast him off. Its idolatry was effete; its tribal exclusiveness was effete; its ferocity against the Teacher of the New Light was effete.

The Prophet shook its dust off his feet, and went to Medina. It was the well-watered city of Yathrib, with a considerable Jewish population. It received with eagerness the teaching of the Prophet; it gave asylum to him and his Companions and Helpers. He reconstituted it and it became the new City of Light. Mecca, with its old gods and its old superstitions, tried to subdue this new Light and destroy it. The human odds were in favour of Mecca.

But God's purpose upheld the Light, and subdued the old Mecca. But the Prophet came to build as well as to destroy. He destroyed the old paganism, and lighted a new beacon in Mecca - the beacon of Arab unity and human brotherhood. When the Prophet's life ended on this earth, his spirit remained. It inspired his people and led them from victory to victory. Where moral or spiritual and material victories go hand in hand, the spirit of man advances all along the line. But sometimes there is a material victory, with a spiritual fall, and sometimes there is a spiritual victory with a material fall, and then we have tragedy.

Spirit of Damascus

Islam's first extension was towards Syria, where the power was centred in the city of Damascus. Among living cities it is probably the oldest city in the world. Its bazaars are thronged with men of all nations, and the luxuries of all nations find ready welcome there. If you come to it westward from the Syrian desert, as I did, the contrast is complete, both in the country and in the people.

From the parched desert sands you come to fountains and vineyards, orchards and the hum of traffic. From the simple, sturdy, independent, frank Arab, you come to the soft, luxurious, sophisticated Syrian. That contrast was forced on the Muslims when Damascus became a Muslim city. They were in a different moral and spiritual atmosphere. Some succumbed to the softening influences of ambition, luxury, wealth pride of race, love of ease, and so on.

Islam stood always as the champion of the great rugged moral virtues. It wanted no compromise with evil in any shape or form, with luxury, with idleness, with the seductions of this world. It was a protest against these things. And yet the representatives of that protest got softened at Damascus. They aped the decadent princes of the world instead of striving to be leaders of spiritual thought. Discipline was relaxed, and governors aspired to be greater than the Khalifas. This bore bitter fruit later.

Snare of Riches

Meanwhile Persia came within the Muslim orbit. When Medain was captured in the year 16 of the Hijra, and the battle of Jalula broke the Persian resistance, some military booty was brought to Medina - gems, pearls, rubies, diamonds, swords of gold and silver. A great celebration was held in honour of the splendid victory and the valour of the Arab army.

In the midst of the celebration they found the Caliph of the day actually weeping. One said to him, “What! a time of joy and thou sheddest tears?” “Yes”, he said, “I foresee that the riches will become a snare, a spring of worldliness and envy, and in the end a calamity to my people.” For the Arab valued, above all, simplicity of life, openness of character, and bravery in face of danger. Their women fought with them and shared their dangers.

They were not caged creatures for the pleasures of the senses. They showed their mettle in the early fighting round the head of the Persian Gulf. When the Muslims were hard pressed, their women turned the scale in their favour. They made their veils into flags, and marched in battle array. The enemy mistook them for reinforcements and abandoned the field. Thus an impending defeat was turned into a victory.

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Basra and Kufa: town-planning In Mesopotamia the Muslims did not base their power on old and effete Persian cities, but built new outposts for themselves. The first they built was Basra at the head of the Persian Gulf, in the 17th year of the Hijra. And what a great city it became! Not great in war and conquest, not great in trade and commerce, but great in learning and culture in its best day, - alas! also great in its spirit of faction and degeneracy in the days of its decline! But its situation and climate were not at all suited to the Arab character. It was low and moist, damp and enervating. In the same year the Arabs built another city not far off from the Gulf and yet well suited to be a port of the desert, as Karbala‟ became afterwards. This was the city of Kufa, built in the same year as Basra, but in a more bracing climate. It was the first experiment in town-planning in Islam. In the centre was a square for the principal mosque. That square was adorned with shady avenues. Another square was set apart for the trafficking of the market. The streets were all laid out intersecting and their width was fixed. The main thoroughfares for such traffic as they had (we must not imagine the sort of traffic we see in Charing Cross) were made 60 feet wide; the cross streets were 30 feet wide; and even the little lanes for pedestrians were regulated to a width of 10.5 feet. Kufa became a centre of light and learning. The Khalifa Hazrat „Ali lived and died there. Rivalry and poison of Damascus But its rival, the city of Damascus, fattened on luxury and Byzantine magnificence. Its tinsel glory sapped the foundations of loyalty and the soldierly virtues. Its poison spread through the Muslim world. Governors wanted to be kings. Pomp and selfishness, ease and idleness and dissipation grew as a canker; wines and spirituous liquors, scepticism, cynicism and social vices became so rampant that the protests of the men of God were drowned in mockery. Mecca, which was to have been a symbolical spiritual centre, was neglected or dishonoured. Damascus and Syria became centres of a worldliness and arrogance which cut at the basic roots of Islam. Husayn the Righteous refused to bow to worldliness and power We have brought the story down to the 60th year of the Hijra. Yazid assumed the power at Damascus. He cared nothing for the most sacred ideals of the people. He was not even interested in the ordinary business affairs of administration. His passion was hunting, and he sought power for self-gratification. The discipline and self-abnegation, the strong faith and earnest endeavour, the freedom and sense of social equality which had been the motive forces of Islam, were divorced from power. The throne at Damascus had become a worldly throne based on the most selfish ideas of personal and family aggrandisement, instead of a spiritual office, with a sense of God-given responsibility. The decay of morals spread among the people. There was one man who could stem the tide. That was Imam Hussayn. He, the grandson of the Prophet, could speak without fear, for fear was foreign to his nature. But his blameless and irreproachable life was in itself a reproach to those who had other standards. They sought to silence him, but he could not be silenced. They sought to bribe him, but he could not be bribed. They sought to waylay him and get him into their Power. What is more, they wanted him to recognise the tyranny and expressly to support it. For they knew that the conscience of the people might awaken at any time, and sweep them away unless the holy man supported their cause. The holy man was prepared to die rather than surrender the principles for which he stood. Driven from city to city Medina was the centre of Hussayn's teaching. They made Medina impossible for him. He left Medina and went to Mecca, hoping that he would be left alone. But he was not left alone. The Syrian forces invaded Mecca. The invasion was repelled, not by Hussayn but by other people. For Husayn, though the bravest of the brave, had no army and no worldly weapons. His existence itself was an offence in the eyes of his enemies. His life was in danger, and the lives of all those nearest and dearest to him. He had friends everywhere, but they were afraid to speak out. They were not as brave as he was. But in distant Kufa, a party grew up which said: “We are disgusted with these events, and we must have Imam Hussayn to take asylum with us.” So they sent and invited the Imam to leave Mecca, come to them, live in their midst, and be their honoured teacher and guide. His father's memory was held in reverence in Kufa. The Governor of Kufa was friendly, and the people eager to welcome him. But alas, Kufa had neither strength, nor courage, nor constancy. Kufa, geographically only 40 miles from Karbala‟, was the occasion of the tragedy of Karbala‟. And now Kufa is nearly gone, and Karbala‟ remains as the lasting memorial of the martyrdom. Invitation from Kufa When the Kufa invitation reached the Imam, he pondered over it, weighed its possibilities, and consulted his friends. He sent over his cousin Muslim to study the situation on the spot and report to him. The report was favourable, and he decided to go. He had a strong presentiment of danger. Many of his friends in Mecca advised him against it. But could he abandon his mission when Kufa was calling for it? Was he the man to be deterred, because his enemies were laying their plots for him, at Damascus and at Kufa? At least, it was suggested, he might leave his family behind. But his family and his immediate dependants would not hear of it. It was a united family, pre-eminent in the purity of its life and in its domestic virtues and domestic affections. If there was danger for its head, they would share it. The Imam was not going on a mere ceremonial visit. There was responsible work to do, and they must be by his side, to support him in spite of all its perils and consequences. Shallow critics scent political ambition in the Imam's act. But would a man with political ambitions march without an army against what might be called the enemy country, scheming to get him into its power, and prepared to use all their resources, military, political and financial, against him?

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Journey through the desert Imam Hussayn left Mecca for Kufa with all his family including his little children. Later news from Kufa itself was disconcerting. The friendly governor had been displaced by one prepared more ruthlessly to carry out Yazid's plans. If Husayn was to go there at all, he must go there quickly, or his friends themselves would be in danger. On the other hand, Mecca itself was no less dangerous to him and his family. It was the month of September by the solar calendar, and no one would take a long desert journey in that heat, except under a sense of duty. By the lunar calendar it was the month of pilgrimage at Mecca. But he did not stop for the pilgrimage. He pushed on, with his family and dependants, in all numbering about 90 or 100 people, men, women and children. They must have gone by forced marches through the desert. They covered the 900 miles of the desert in little over three weeks. When they came within a few miles of Kufa, at the edge of the desert, they met people from Kufa. It was then that they heard of the terrible murder of Husayn's cousin Muslim, who had been sent on in advance. A poet that came by dissuaded the Imam from going further. “For,” he said epigramatically, “the heart of the city is with thee but its sword is with thine enemies, and the issue is with God.” What was to be done? They were three weeks' journey from the city they had left. In the city to which they were going their own messenger had been foully murdered as well as his children. They did not know what the actual situation was then in Kufa. But they were determined not to desert their friends. Call to Surrender or Die Presently messengers came from Kufa, and Imam Husayn was asked to surrender. Imam Husayn offered to take one of three alternatives. He wanted no political power and no revenge. He said “I came to defend my own people. If I am too late, give me the choice of three alternatives: either to return to Mecca; or to face Yazid himself at Damascus; or if my very presence is distasteful to him and you, I do not wish to cause more divisions among the Muslims. Let me at least go to a distant frontier, where, if fighting must be done, I will fight against the enemies of Islam.” Every one of these alternatives was refused. What they wanted was to destroy his life, or better still, to get him to surrender, to surrender to the very forces against which he was protesting, to declare his adherence to those who were defying the law of God and man, and to tolerate all the abuses which were bringing the name of Islam into disgrace. Of course he did not surrender. But what was he to do? He had no army. He had reasons to suppose that many of his friends from distant parts would rally round him, and come and defend him with their swords and bodies. But time was necessary, and he was not going to gain time by feigned compliance. He turned a little round to the left, the way that would have led him to Yazid himself, at Damascus. He camped in the plain of Karbala‟. Water cut off; Inflexible will, Devotion and Chivalry For ten days messages passed backwards and forwards between Karbala‟ and Kufa. Kufa wanted surrender and recognition. That was the one thing the Imam could not consent to. Every other alternative was refused by Kufa, under the instructions from Damascus. Those fateful ten days were the first ten days of the month of Muharram, of the year 61 of the Hijra. The final crisis was on the 10th day, the Ashura day, which we are commemorating. During the first seven days various kinds of pressure were brought to bear on the Imam, but his will was inflexible. It was not a question of a fight, for there were but 70 men against 4,000. The little band was surrounded and insulted, but they held together so firmly that they could not be harmed. On the 8th day the water supply was cut off. The Euphrates and its abundant streams were within sight, but the way was barred. Prodigies of valour were performed in getting water. Challenges were made for single combat according to Arab custom. And the enemies were half-hearted, while the Imam's men fought in contempt of death, and always accounted for more men than they lost. On the evening of the 9th day, the little son of the Imam was ill. He had fever and was dying of thirst. They tried to get a drop of water. But that was refused point blank and so they made the resolve that they would, rather than surrender, die to the last man in the cause for which they had come. Imam Husayn offered to send away his people. He said, “They are after my person; my family and my people can go back.” But everyone refused to go. They said they would stand by him to the last, and they did. They were not cowards; they were soldiers born and bred; and they fought as heroes, with devotion and with chivalry. The Final Agony; placid face of the man of God On the day of Ashura, the 10th day, Imam Husayn's own person was surrounded by his enemies. He was brave to the last. He was cruelly mutilated. His sacred head was cut off while in the act of prayer. A mad orgy of triumph was celebrated over his body. In this crisis we have details of what took place hour by hour. He had 45 wounds from the enemies' swords and javelins, and 35 arrows pierced his body. His left arm was cut off, and a javelin pierced through his breast. After all that agony, when his head was lifted up on a spear, his face was the placid face of a man of God. All the men of that gallant band were exterminated and their bodies trampled under foot by the horses. The only male survivor was a child, Husayn's son „Ali, surnamed Zain-ul-'Abidin - “The Glory of the Devout.” He lived in retirement, studying, interpreting, and teaching his father's high spiritual principles for the rest of his life. Heroism of the Women There were women: for example, Zainab the sister of the Imam, Sakina his little daughter, and Shahr-i-Banu, his wife, at Karbala‟. A great deal of poetic literature has sprung up in Muslim languages, describing the touching scenes in which they figure. Even in their grief and their tears they are heroic. They lament the tragedy in simple, loving, human terms. But they are also conscious of the noble dignity of their nearness to a life of truth reaching its goal in the precious crown of martyrdom. One of the best-known poets of this kind is the Urdu poet Anis, who lived in Lucknow, and died in 1874.

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Lesson of the Tragedy That briefly is the story. What is the lesson? There is of course the physical suffering in martyrdom, and all sorrow and suffering claim our sympathy, ---- the dearest, purest, most outflowing sympathy that we can give. But there is a greater suffering than physical suf-fering. That is when a valiant soul seems to stand against the world; when the noblest motives are reviled and mocked; when truth seems to suffer an eclipse. It may even seem that the martyr has but to say a word of compliance, do a little deed of non-resistance; and much sorrow and suffer-ing would be saved; and the insidious whisper comes: “Truth after all can never die.” That is perfectly true. Abstract truth can never die. It is independent of man's cognition. But the whole battle is for man's keeping hold of truth and righteousness. And that can only be done by the highest examples of man's conduct - spiritual striving and suffering enduring firmness of faith and purpose, patience and courage where ordinary mortals would give in or be cowed down, the sacrifice of ordinary motives to supreme truth in scorn of consequence. The martyr bears witness, and the witness redeems what would otherwise be called failure. It so happened with Husayn. For all were touched by the story of his martyrdom, and it gave the deathblow to the politics of Damascus and all it stood for. And Muharram has still the power to unite the different schools of thought in Islam, and make a powerful appeal to non-Muslims also. Explorers of Spiritual Territory That, to my mind, is the supreme significance of martyrdom. All human history shows that the human spirit strives in many direc-tions, deriving strength and sustenance from many sources. Our bodies, our physical powers, have developed or evolved from earlier forms, after many struggles and defeats. Our intellect has had its martyrs, and our great explorers have often gone forth with the martyrs' spirit. All honour to them. But the highest honour must still lie with the great explorers of spiritual territory, those who faced fearful odds and refused to surrender to evil. Rather than allow a stigma to attach to sacred things, they paid with their own lives the penalty of resistance. The first kind of resistance offered by the Imam was when he went from city to city, hunted about from place to place, but making no compromise with evil. Then was offered the choice of an effectual but dangerous attempt at clearing the house of God, or living at ease for himself by tacit abandonment of his striving friends. He chose the path of danger with duty and honour, and never swerved from it giving up his life freely and bravely. His story purifies our emotions. We can best honour his memory by allowing it to teach us courage and constancy.

The sacrifice of Imam Hussain (a) was definitely a great sacrifice. The Tragedy of Karbala was no ordi-nary tragedy and Imam Hussain(a) was no ordinary revolutionary for he was the grandson of the Holy Prophet (S). For oppressed communities worldwide regardless of religion, gender or race, the tragedy of Karbala forms a model, a benchmark. Karbala signifies a lesson that human beings should never submit to tyranny, oppression and falsehood. Silence in the face of transgression is the same to the acceptance of injustice. I think the beauty of the event of Karbala is that every individual, no matter their age, race or religion, can relate to it; one can either relate to a person, an event, or a saying, and this relationship gives them strength to endure the hardships they face in their real life. Imam Hussain‟s heroism set a firm standard against dictatorship forever. It sent a message to all corners of the world that although he was martyred in battle of truth and falsehood; he and his most loyal companions were victorious. It was in the name of Hussain that the oppressive government he fought was toppled some 70 years following his death, and the true Islamic teachings of peace, justice and submission to God exists today. The tragedy of Karbala is a reminder not only for Muslims, but for mankind to rise up to seek positive reform in the face of resignation. Imam Hussain (a), his family and his companions were killed by the terrorists of that time and today we stand against any forms of terrorism and oppression, just like Hussain (a) did 1400 years ago. Thomas Carlyle, a 19th century Scottish historian said, "The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Imam Hussain (a) and his companions were the rigid believers of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Hussain (a) despite his minority marvels me!" Imam Hussain‟s sacrifice was indeed a lesson to learn from. But the question is why do we mourn our beloved Imam (a) We commemorate Ashura to symbolise and express our grief and emo-tions towards the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a), to keep Imam Hussain‟s cause alive in our hearts and to be committed to his cause. Also, we want to extract lessons from the tragedy of Karbala and apply them to our daily lives. We want to pay our condo-lences to the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahlul Bayt (a). You might then ask why we don‟t commemorate the death of the Holy Prophet (S) who has a much higher rank than Imam Hussain (a). The answer to this is that although we do commemorate and mourn the death of the Holy Prophet (S), it is the way and circumstance in which Imam al-Hussain (a) was martyred which makes all the difference, the fact that he was martyred for refusing a government headed by the wretched Yazid, who drank, gambled and indulged in many corrupt practices, the fact that those who savagely slaughtered Imam al-Hussain (a) called themselves Muslims is what makes us mourn and lament his martyrdom the way we do. Muhurram is not just for ten days, and then going back to our daily lives as usual. For a Muslim who stands up to fight in the cause of Allah, for him the place is Karbala, the month is Muhurram, the day is Ashura. He is Hussain (a) and his opponent is Yazid.

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T h e b e a u t y o f H u s s a i n T h e b e a u t y o f H u s s a i n T h e b e a u t y o f H u s s a i n a . s a . s a . s a n d K a r b a l a a n d K a r b a l a a n d K a r b a l a a s f a r i y a za s f a r i y a za s f a r i y a z

Sir William Muir Sir William Muir (1819-1905) Scottish scholar and statesman. Held the post of Foreign Secretary to the Indian government as well as Lieutenant Governor of the North western Provinces. • "The tragedy of Karbala decided not only the fate of the caliphate, but of the Mohammedan kingdoms long after the Caliphate had waned and disappeared." [Annals of the Early Caliphate, London, 1883, pp. 441-2] Edward G. Brown Edward G. Brown Sir Thomas Adams Professor of Arabic and oriental studies at the University of Cambridge. • "… a reminder of the blood-stained field of Kerbela, where the grandson of the Apostle of God fell at length, tortured by thirst and surrounded by the bodies of his murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then sufficient to evoke, even in the most lukewarm and heedless, the deepest emotions, the most frantic grief, and an exaltation of spirit before which pain, danger and death shrink to unconsidered trifles." [A Literary History of Persia, London, 1919, p. 227] Ignaz Goldziher Ignaz Goldziher (1850-1921) Famous Hungarian orientalist scholar. • "Ever since the black day of Karbala, the history of this family … has been a continuous series of sufferings and persecutions. These are narrated in poetry and prose, in a richly cultivated literature of martyrologies - a Shi'i specialty - and form the theme of Shi'i gatherings in the first third of the month of Muharram, whose tenth day('ashura) is kept as the anniversary of the tragedy at Karbala. Scenes of that tragedy are also presented on this day of commemoration in dramatic form (ta'ziya). 'Our feast days are our assemblies of mourning.' So concludes a poem by a prince of Shi'i disposition recalling the many mihan of the Prophet's family. Weeping and lamentation over the evils and persecutions suffered by the 'Alid family, and mourning for its martyrs: these are things from which loyal supporters of the cause cannot cease. 'More touching than the tears of the Shi'is' has even become an Arabic proverb." [Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law, Princeton, 1981, p. 179] Edward Gibbon Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) Considered the greatest British historian of his time. • "In a distant age and climate the tragic scene of the death of Hosein will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader." [The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, London, 1911, volume 5, pp. 391-2] Dr. Rajendra Prasad The sacrifice of Imam Husain is not limited to one country, or nation, but it is the hereditary state of the brotherhood of all mankind. Dr. Radha Krishnan Though Imam Husain gave his life almost 1300 years ago, but his indestructible soul rules the hearts of people even today. Swami Shankaracharya It is Husain's sacrifice that that has kept Islam alive or else in this world there would be no one left to take Islam's name. Rabindranath Tagore In order to keep alive justice and truth, instead of an army or weapons, success can be achieved by sacrificing lives, exactly what Imam Husain did. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Imam Husain's sacrifice is for all groups and communities, an example of the path of righteousness. Mrs. Sarojini Naidu I congratulate Muslims that from among them, Husain, a great human being was born, who is reverted and honored totally by all communities. Mahatma Gandhi : My faith is that the progress of Islam does not depend on the use of sword by its believers, but the result of the supreme sacrifice of Husain, the great saint.

Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, was asked: Which of the two is better; justice or generosity? Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, replied: Justice puts things in their places while generosity takes

them out from their directions; justice is the general caretaker while generosity is a particular benefit. Consequently, justice is superior and more

distinguished of the two.

W h a t n o n M u s l i m s s a y a b o u t H u s s a i n W h a t n o n M u s l i m s s a y a b o u t H u s s a i n W h a t n o n M u s l i m s s a y a b o u t H u s s a i n a . s a . s a . s c o n t i n u e dc o n t i n u e dc o n t i n u e d

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What Non-Muslims Say About Husayn, The Third Successor of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Them Both)

Think not of those who are slain in God's way as dead. Nay, they are living, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord. (Holy Qur'an 3:169) Imam Husayn was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them both, who was martyred by the evil forces of despotism. This is a collection of short quotations about him from a wide variety of Non-Muslim notables from around the world. Peter J. Chelkowski Peter J. Chelkowski Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, New York University. • "Hussein accepted and set out from Mecca with his family and an entourage of about seventy followers. But on the plain of Kerbela they were caught in an ambush set by the … caliph, Yazid. Though defeat was certain, Hussein refused to pay homage to him. Surrounded by a great enemy force, Hussein and his company existed without water for ten days in the burning desert of Kerbela. Finally Hussein, the adults and some male children of his family and his companions were cut to bits by the arrows and swords of Yazid's army; his women and remaining children were taken as captives to Yazid in Damascus. The renowned historian Abu Reyhan al-Biruni states; "… then fire was set to their camp and the bodies were trampled by the hoofs of the horses; nobody in the history of the human kind has seen such atrocities." [Ta'ziyeh: Ritual and Drama in Iran, New York, 1979, p. 2] Simon Ockley Simon Ockley (1678-1720) Professor of Arabic at the University of Cambridge. • "Then Hosein mounted his horse, and took the Koran and laid it before him, and, coming up to the people, invited them to the performances of their duty: adding, 'O God, thou art my confidence in every trouble, and my hope in all adversity!'… He next reminded them of his excellency, the nobility of his birth, the greatness of his power, and his high descent, and said, 'Consider with yourselves whether or not such a man as I am is not better than you; I who am the son of your prophet's daughter, besides whom there is no other upon the face of the earth. Ali was my father; Jaafar and Hamza, the chief of the martyrs, were both my uncles; and the apostle of God, upon whom be peace, said both of me and my brother, that we were the chief of the youth of paradise. If you will believe me, what I say is true, for by God, I never told a lie in earnest since I had my understanding; for God hates a lie. If you do not believe me, ask the companions of the apostle of God [here he named them], and they will tell you the same. Let me go back to what I have.' They asked, 'What hindered him from being ruled by the rest of his relations.' He answered, 'God forbid that I should set my hand to the resignation of my right after a slavish manner. I have recourse to God from every tyrant that doth not believe in the day of account.'" [The History of the Saracens, London, 1894, pp. 404-5] Reynold Alleyne Nicholson Reynold Alleyne Nicholson (1868-1945) Sir Thomas Adams Professor of Arabic at the University of Cambridge. • "Husayn fell, pierced by an arrow, and his brave followers were cut down beside him to the last man. Muhammadan tradition, which with rare exceptions is uniformly hostile to the Umayyad dynasty, regards Husayn as a martyr and Yazid as his murderer." [A Literary History of the Arabs, Cambridge, 1930, p. 197 ] Robert Durey Osborn Robert Durey Osborn (1835-1889) Major of the Bengal Staff Corps. • "Hosain had a child named Abdallah, only a year old. He had accompanied his father in this terrible march. Touched by its cries, he took the infant in his arms and wept. At that instant, a shaft from the hostile ranks pierced the child's ear, and it expired in his father's arms. Hosain placed the little corpse upon the ground. 'We come from God, and we return to Him!' he cried; 'O Lord, give me strength to bear these misfortunes!' … Faint with thirst, and exhausted with wounds, he fought with desperate courage, slaying several of his antagonists. At last he was cut down from behind; at the same instance a lance was thrust through his back and bore him to the ground; as the dealer of this last blow withdrew his weapon, the ill-fated son of Ali rolled over a corpse. The head was severed from the trunk; the trunk was trampled under the hoofs of the victors' horses; and the next morning the women and a surviving infant son were carried away to Koufa. The bodies of Hosain and his followers were left unburied on the spot where they fell. For three days they remained exposed to the sun and the night dews, the vultures and the prowling animals of the waste; but then the inhabitants of a neighbouring village, struck with horror that the body of a grandson of the Prophet should be thus shamefully abandoned to the unclean beasts of the field, dared the anger of Obaidallah, and interred the body of the martyr and those of his heroic friends. [Islam Under the Arabs, Delaware, 1976, pp. 126-7]

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Highlights of Karbala The events of Karbala reflect the collision of the good versus the evil, the virtuous versus the wicked, and the collision of Imam Hussain (the head of virtue) versus Yazid (the head of impiety). Al-Husayn was a revolutionary person, a righteous man, the religious authority, the Imam of Muslim Ummah. As the representative of his grandfather Prophet Muhammad (S), Imam Husayn's main concern was to safeguard and protect Islam and guide fellow Muslims. On the other hand, the staying power of the rulers (Mu'awiya and his son Yazid) depended solely on the might of the sword. They used brute force to rule over the Muslim empire even by all possible illicit means. Imam Husayn as head of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) never recognized Mu'awiya nor his followers. Before him Imam „Ali (a.s.) had fought battles against Mu'awiya because Mu'awiya

continuously violated the Islamic principles. Imam Al-Hasan (a.s.) had to swallow the bitter pill of making a peace agreement with Mu'awiya, in order to safeguard the security of the Ummah which was at stake. When Yazid son of Mu'awiya declared himself as a ruler over the Ummah, he demanded Imam Al-Husayn's (a.s.) allegiance of loyalty. Imam Husayn on his part flatly rejected Yazid's rule and behavior, for there was no way Yazid could represent Islam, it would be blasphemy. But Yazid, the tyrant ruler over the Ummah, was adamant in his demand, and tension between the two parties increased day by day. Imam Husayn was quick to realize that giving allegiance of loyalty to Yazid would serve no purpose but to jeopardize the survival of Islam. To safeguard and protect Islam, therefore, the Imam had no choice but to confront and collide with Yazid's ruler ship irrespective of consequences. Since Yazid had ordered his commanders to seize the Imam's allegiance of loyalty at any cost, even by brutal force, the commanders had to assemble a relatively large army, surrounding Imam Husayn's camp in a desert called Karbala. Then they cut off the basic necessities to the camp, including access to water. The camp consisted of Imam Husayn, his family, friends, and companions, all of whom stood fast and firmly with him. These braves would rather face death for the noble cause of Islam, than submit to the outrageous tyranny and the un-Islamic ways of Yazid. Thus, Karbala proved to be a clash involving Islamic truths versus falsehood, right versus wrong, belief versus disbelief, and the oppressed versus the oppressor, faith against brute force. Karbala was about standing in the face of oppression, regardless no matter the cost. Thus, in Karbala, Al-Husayn the 57 year old grandson of Prophet Muhammad (S), sacrificed his totality and all he had, for one goal. This goal was to let the truth triumph over falsehood eventually, and he did that brilliantly. His goal was to foil the plan that Mu'awiya had expertly developed for his son, Yazid, which was to establish a permanent Bani Umayya ruler ship over the Muslim Ummah (even by sacrificing the Islamic principles), but doing it in the name of Islam. Brilliantly, Imam Hussain succeeded in foiling this plan and he exposed the disreputable nature of Bani Umayya though this was at the expense of his life. Lessons from the Tragedy of Karbala Karbala is the cruellest tragedy humanity has ever seen. Yet, the startling (though appalling) events in Karbala proved like a powerful volcano that shook the very foundation of Muslims, it stirred their consciousness, ignorant or learned alike. For sincere Muslims, Karbala turned into a triumph. The tragic event became the very beacon of light to always remind Muslims to practice Islam honestly and sincerely, to do what is right irrespective of consequences, and fear no one except Allah (swt). On the other hand, Yazid never achieved what he and his father had planned to achieve, for within three years, Allah's wrath fell upon him, causing him to die at the age of 33 years. And within a few decades the rule of Bani Umayya crumbled and came to an end.

K a r b a l aK a r b a l aK a r b a l a

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Frequently asked questions about Imam Husain (as) and Muhurram (By Syed Hadi Hasan)

Certainly, Husain is the torch of the right path and the ark of the salvation (Holy Prophet Muhammad S.A.W) What is Muharram? It is the first month of Islamic calendar. This month is one of the most important for all Muslims, and even for humanity, because on the 10th of this month Imam Husain (as), his relatives and companions were brutally martyred by the army of Yazid (the army had at least over 30,000 soldiers) in 680 AD, in the battlefield of Karbala desert that lies beside a tributary of the River Euphrates currently the city is located 100 km south-west of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Who was Imam al-Husain? He was the grandson of Prophet Muhammad who loved him dearly. Imam al-Husain was of noble of character, wise, knowledgeable, and brave. He is highly revered by many Muslims throughout history. The Holy Prophet of Islam used to say “his brother Hasan and Husain are my son"; "Husain is from me and I am from Husain", "Hasan and Husain are the leaders of the youths of Paradise" "These two (Hasan and Hussein) are the Imams (leaders) of the Muslim ummah "those who make them happy make me happy and those who hurt them actually hurt me" Why Imam al-Husain had to give the great sacrifice? In the year 680 CE, Yazeed bin Muawiayh became the ruler of the Muslim nation. Yazeed was renowned for his wickedness and open flouting of Islamic values. Amongst other things; Yazeed imbibed alcohol in public, practiced debauchery, mocked at the Islamic belief in the life hereafter and insulted numerous Islamic institutions. This happened only fifty years after the death of Prophet Muhammad. The biggest problem was that everything was done in the name of Islam since he was the Caliph of Muslims, many confusions were created between the truth (Haqq) and false (batil, people were forgetting the Islamic and humanitarian virtues. Imam al-Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet, refused to recognize the leadership of Yazeed and stood up to awaken the Muslim nation, to separate right from wrong, to save the Islamic and humanitarian values. Imam, his family (including women and children) and his companions (many of whom were also companions of the Holy Prophet) stood up against Yazid. Eventually Imam and his companions were martyred but Islam and humanitarian virtues have been saved and made eternal. Until the end of time these sacrifices will remain best ideal to confront oppression and oppressors. What was the religion of those who killed Imam Husain? Were they Shiites?? Imam Husain‟s execution was ordered by Yazid bin muawya. But since Imam Husain left Mecca and went to Iraq the responsibility to kill him were assigned to the governor of that region Oubaydoullah bin Ziyad.the People of this region especially people of Kufa were called 'Shia of Ali "(followers of Ali) but it was not considered in the current sense of the term of Shia. When Imam Ali was urged to accept the Caliphate at that time Muawiy who was the governor of Sham (Syria) opposed the establishment of Ali as a Caliph and paid no oath of allegiance (Bay‟ at). Thus a division was effected in Muslim ummah in tow groups: shami (Syrian) Group and the rest of the Muslims. The Shami group was called 'Shia of Muawiya' (supporters of Muawiya) or 'Shia of Aale Abu Sufiyan' (supporters of the family of Abu Sufyan,) and the group of those who take the oath of allegiance to Imam Ali, especially people of Kufa were called 'Shia of Ali "(partisans of Ali). These so called 'followers of Ali' were same people who had previously sworn allegiance to the three preceding Caliphs. But now only those Muslims are called Shia of Ali who regard Ali as the first successor (Caliph) of the Holy Prophet, followed by imam Hasan and imam Husain …and consider them as infallible. In short, among those who martyred Imam Husain there was no Shia of Ali (who regarded him as the first Caliph). According to all authentic history books Imam Husain addressed to the army of Yazid, saying "O Shia (followers) of Aale Abi Sufiyan (the family of Abu Sufyan) and no one objected that he is a Shia of Ali not the shia of Aale abi Sufiyan so the silence of the army showed that among the combatants wasn‟t any True Shia of Ali (as). In conclusion, Yazid ,ibn Ziyad and all of the armed combatants who killed Imam Husain (as) were the enemies of Islam and this is the duty of all Muslims to hate and curse them. Why do Muslims remember the tragedy of the Karbala? A number of reasons can be forwarded, two of the primary reasons being: (1)Imam al-Husain gave away everything in his possession as well as the sacrifice of his near and dear ones to protect Islam and its values. (2) Leaders of the Shia Muslims and their scholars have always mourned and remembered the tragedy of Karbala, reminding Muslims of their times to be ready for offering sacrifices as and when Islam and Muslims have to face the despot and an unjust rulers and systems over them. Why are people wearing black clothes and look sad? This is symbolic to say that the participants are mourning and grieving even today the martyrdom of Imam al-Husain. They

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Why are people wearing black clothes and look sad? This is symbolic to say that the participants are mourning and grieving even today the martyrdom of Imam al-Husain. They are announcing something to the sort: O Imam Al-Hussain, if we were living at the time of the incident we would certainly joined your army to fight Yazeed. In any case, we are here to continue with your mission. Is it innovation (Bid’at) to cry for Imam Hussain?? Certainly not! But crying on martyrs is highly recommended in the Sunnah of the holy prophet (pbuh) as well as in his companion‟s life style: After the battle of Uhud, when the Prophet came back to Medina and saw the men and women crying for their beloved ones (martyred) the Prophet said while he was crying "O uncle Hamza, there isn‟t anyone crying for you (Siah Halbia volume 2, page 260). Besides this event, there are many other occasions where the Prophet and the Sahaba have cried for martyrs. We are not alone to weep for Imam Husain. The Holy Prophet has repeatedly cried for Imam Husain. This can be illustrated by a simple example. Umul Mo'minin Hazrat Aisha (one of the wives of the Holy Prophet) said that one day the Messenger of Allah was with her the younger son of the Holy Prophet Imam Hussain (a) entered the house and went towards his grandfather. The Holy Prophet began to kiss the hand of his little son. The little son sat on the back of the Holy Prophet and played with him. The angel Gabriel descended from heaven and said the Holy Prophet: "O Messenger of God, that little son of yours will be killed (murdered) by the people of your Ummah then Gabriel gave him the soil of Karbala after that holy prophet started crying in the presence of his Sahaba (companions) by having the soil of Karbala in his hand. Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Huzaifa,…were Among those Sahaba. The Prophet wept and recounted the tragedy of Karbala in the presence of the Sahaba. Then Sahaba also cried. (Sawa'iqul Muhrika, Ibne hajar makki, page 192; Alamun'nubuwa, Mawardi, page 83). Similarly, after the birth of Imam Husain, when Umul Fazl gave the baby in the hands of the Holy Prophet for the first time he cried and said that the angel Gabriel announced how Imam Husain would be martyred. (Mustadrak as-Sahihain Chapter 'Ma'arifat us Sahaba', Volume 3, page 176). Because of these and many other narrations crying for Imam Husain and other martyrs of Ahlul-bait is not an innovation (Bidat), but instead it is the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and his companions.

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Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani: It is duty of preachers to deliver spiritual guidance during Muharram During his advanced jurisprudence class held at Qom‟s Grand Mosque (Masjid al-A‟dham), Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn-Vahid Khorasani emphasized the importance of propagation during the Islamic months of Muharram and Safar. During these two months, Shi‟ite Muslims in Iran and throughout the Islamic world commemorate the sorrowful martyrdom anniversaries of Imam Husayn (A), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (S). Imam Husayn (A), along with many of his holy family members (A) and companions (RA) were martyred in what is now Karbala, Iraq by the evil caliph Yazid and his cruel henchmen for refusing to pledge allegiance to their unjust and illegitimate rule. Due to the heightened spiritual awareness of the people, the various sources of emulation encourage their seminary students to go forth and propagate Islam to the people in order to fulfill the Islamic society‟s need for spiritual guidance. Referring to the Holy Quran, Ayatollah Khorasani spoke of the necessity to promote and warn the believers and for the preachers to possess a deep understanding of the sources of Islam. The people come to the preachers for guidance and to gain knowledge which they do not have. It is the duty of the preachers of Islam to deliver this to them, along with the inspiring message of Imam Husayn (A) and his great sacrifice for pure Muhammadan Islam. His Eminence addressed the students, preachers and clergymen before him and said: “In the month of Muharram go to preach and in your message, follow four principles: you must strengthen the believers faith, remove their doubts, purify their morals and teach them the laws of religion. These are the four pillars of propagation.” During his class, the renowned source of emulation spoke of the importance of the days of mourning the martyrs of Karbala. He mentioned a tradition of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (A) where the second Imam of the Shi‟ite Muslims (A) mentioned the importance of guiding the people toward God. “During these grand days, the preacher must preach as if no other preacher has ever come and will never come again. The act [of sacrifice of] Imam Husayn (A) is exclusive and unique to himself and the likes of the Imam (A) will never be seen again,” Ayatollah Khorasani stated in reference to the importance of properly conveying the message of Imam Husayn (A) to the people.

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Info & Contact:

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Planning for Extension of Hussainia

Launching New Website for Hussainia.

New Flag for Alam-e-Abbas(a) at Cemetery .

Central Air Conditioning Installed

New Part i t ion in Washrooms Installed!

Drywall & Repair Side entrance.

New pavement in Hussainia parking lot

Sunday School Every Week 10:30 am –3 pm

Volunteer’s Welcome!

Please send you children to Sunday School to learn

Quran/Deeniyat

For any inquiries or suggestions ;

Please contact

Executive's of HAC Or

School Administrator Br. Shabbir Rizvi Tel: (403) 796-5110

C u r r e n t P r o j e c t s C u r r e n t P r o j e c t s C u r r e n t P r o j e c t s

S u n d a y S u n d a y S u n d a y

S c h o o l a t S c h o o l a t S c h o o l a t

H u s s a i n i a H u s s a i n i a H u s s a i n i a

M u h a r r a m — 1 4 3 6 / O c t o b e r - N o v e m b e r — 2 0 1 4

Page 15

Please Recite

Surah Fatiha

For All

Shuhadas &

Marhoomeen.

OCT المحّرم Fajr Sunrise Zuharain Maghrabain Programme

26 Sun 1 6:39 8:19 1:20 6:36 Majlis at Hussainia

27 Mon 2 6:40 8:20 1:20 6:34 Majlis at Polish Hall

28 Tue 3 6:42 8:22 1:20 6:32 Majlis at Polish Hall

29 Wed 4 6:44 8:24 1:20 6:31 Majlis at Polish Hall

30 Thu 5 6:45 8:25 1:20 6:29 Majlis at Polish Hall

31 Fri 6 6:47 8:27 1:20 6:27 Majlis at Polish Hall

1 NOV 7 6:50 8:30 1:20 6:24 Juloos Imam Hussain

2 Sun 8 5:49 7:31 12:20 5:23 Day Time Saving

3 Mon 9 5:53 7:33 12:20 5:21

4 Tue 10 5:55 7:35 12:20 5:19 Ashura (Polish Hall)

5 Wed 11 5:56 7:36 12:20 5:18

6 Thu 12 5:58 7:38 12 :20 5:16 Soyem Majlis at Hussainia

7 Fri 13 6:00 7:40 12::20 5:15

8 Sat 14 6:01 7:41 12::20 5:13 Majlis at Hussainia

9 Sun 15 6:03 7:43 12:20 5:12 Majlis at Hussainia

10 Mon 16 6:05 7:45 12:20 5:10

11 Tue 17 6:07 7:47 12:20 5:09

12 Wed 18 6:08 7:48 12:20 5:07

13 Thu 19 6:10 7:50 12:20 5:06

14 Fri 20 6:12 7:52 12::21 5:05

15 Sat 21 6:13 7:53 12:21 5:03

16 Sun 22 6:15 7:55 12:21 5:02

17 Mon 23 6:17 7:57 12:1 5:00

18 Tue 24 6:18 7:58 12:21 4:58

19 Wed 25 6:20 8:00 12:22 4:57 Shahadat Imam Sajjad

20 Thu 26 6:22 8:02 12:22 4:56

21 Fri 27 6:23 8:03 12:22 4:55

22 Sat 28 6:25 8:05 12:22 4:54

23 Sun 29 6:26 8:06 12:23 4:53

24 Mon 30 6:28 8:08 12:23 4:52

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

President: Riyaz Khawaja (403) 999-4614

Vice President: Imtiaz Ali Khan (587) 435-7714

Secretary:

Syed Ali Zulqarnain (403) 512-4514

Treasurer:

Syed Zaheer Abbas (403) 607-4742

Coordinator:

Syed Mansoor Naqvi (403) 975-7313

Trustee:

Syed Muzaffer Tahir

4755-34th Street SE, Calgary, AB, Canada

T2B 3B3

Hussaini

Association Of

Calgary, AB

Annual Membership Fee For 2014

Approved by AGM

Family Membership- $400 per year Single Membership- $200 per year Senior Membership- $150 per year Student Membership- $100 per year

Cheque: Please contact executives Credit Card: via credit card machine

in Hussainia/online/PayPal or Online: visit

www.hussainicalgary.com PLEASE PAY YOUR MEMBERSHIP

M a k e A D I F E R E N C E : D o n a t e t o h a cM a k e A D I F E R E N C E : D o n a t e t o h a cM a k e A D I F E R E N C E : D o n a t e t o h a c

Donate Online:

www.hussainicalgary.com

Sitting with the

intelligent is a sign

of successfulness.

Disputation with

other than the

disbelievers is a

sign of ignorance.

A sign of a scholar

is his self-criticism

of his sayings and

his acquaintance

with the various

hypotheses .

`Imam Hussain` as

Ayat o f t he m o n t hAyat o f t he m o n t hAyat o f t he m o n t h

Page 16

And do not speak of those who are slain in

Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive,

but you do not perceive. (Surat Al-Baqarah - Ayat 154).