Who is Imam Hussain?

Imam Hussain (RA) is the grandson of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S). He

is the son of Hazrat Ali (RA) the fourth Khalifa and Hazrat Fatima (RA), the Chief

of women in Jannah.

His status…

Messenger of Allah Muhammad (S) said

"Husain is from me and I am from Husain."

References:

1. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v4, p1722. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p772, Tradition #13613. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p 1774. al-Tabarani, v3, p215. Adab by al-Bukhari, also al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, as quoted in:6. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p2917. Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tdadition #6160

Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (S) said

"I named Hasan and Husain and Muhsin by thenames of the sons of Aaron (Haroon) who were: Shubbar, Shubair, and Mushbir."

References:

1. Sunan Abu Dawud al-Tilyasi, v1, p232 (without mentioning Muhsin)2. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p774, Tradition #13653. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, pp 165,1684. al-Tabarani, v3, p1005. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p292

Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (S) said

"Al-Hasan and al-Husain are the chiefs ofthe youth of Paradise and Fatimah is the chief of their women."

References: 1. Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p660, on the authority of Abu Sa'id and Hudhayfa2. Sunan Ibn Majah, Introduction 83. al-Tabarani, on the authorities of: Umar, Ali, Jabir, Abu Hurayrah,

Usamah Ibn Zaid, al-Baraa, Ibn 'Adi, and Ibn Masud.4. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, pp 62,82, v3, pp 3,64, v5, p3915. Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p771, Tradition #13606. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, pp 166,1677. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p290

Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tdadition #6154

In this Hadith, what we must remember that appointing someone in the highest ranks in Jannah

is not within the authority of the Prophet. Such ranks can only be granted and awarded by the

Almighty Allah (SWAT) to the deserving ones, which the Prophet only conveys.

Messenger of Allah Muhammad (S) said

"He who loves al-Hasan and al-Husain, has loved me, and he who makes them angry has made me angry."

References:

1. Sunan Ibn Majah,2. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, from Abu Hurairah3. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, as quited in:4. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p292

As narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira, beloved Prophet (S) looked toward Ali, Hasan,

Husain, and Fatimah (RA), and said

"I am in war with those who will fight you, and inpeace with those who are peaceful to you."

References: 1. Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p6992. Sunan Ibn Majah, v1, p523. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p767, Tradition #13504. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p1495. Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p1696. al-Kabir, by al-Tabarani, v3, p30, also in al-Awsat7. Jami' al-Saghir, by al-Ibani, v2, p178. Sawaiq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, p1449. Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tdadition #6145

Ponder on this, why the Prophet (S) mentioned the issue of war and fight in this hadith? Did he want us to be vigilant not to engage in war and fight with them? Did he want his

ummah to know what is the ultimate destination for those who would fight with Hussain (RA) the Chief of Jannah?

Why Imam Hussain (RA) was killed?

Just after 50 years of our beloved Propeht’s (S) departure, Yazid became the Khalifa of Muslim world after his father Amir Muwabiya’s death. Despite of his all encompassing unworthiness, he wanted to secure the power that he inherited and wanted bayat (oath of allegiance) from Imam Hussain (RA) having the highest honor and rank among the Muslims. No wonder, Imam Hussain (RA) refuted such fancy of an arrogant, oppressive, and unjust ruler. However, Yazid had insisted on his demand and ordered his army to kill him if he did not consent.

Imam Husain (RA) told the ummah: "Don't you see that the truth is not followed and the falsehood is not discouraged? (The situation is so severe) so that a Believer wishes to meet Allah (i.e., to die). And today I don‘t see death but prosperity, and living with tyrants is nothing but disgust and disgrace.“

Imam Hussain (RA) decided to leave Madina with all his family members and companions but was stopped in a place named Karbala in Iraq and was killed brutally.

How Imam Hussain (RA) was killed?

An army of 33000 soldiers encircled the caravan of Imam Husain (RA). And deprived all his family members and companions (including women and children) of water for three consecutive days in the desert.

On the day of Ashura (10th of Muharram) just before the battle had started, Imam Hussain went to Yazid’s army asking some water for his 6 month old heavily dehydrated child. They denied; and on the way back to his tent, the innocent baby was shot by an arrow on his throat and died on his lap.

The battle of Karbala was an unequal and unjust battle of an organized army of 33000 against 72 men. Being such a small group they had to fight one by one. When Imam Hussain started his fight all of his able male relatives that includes two of his sons, nephews and companions were dead.

Lest we forget – All of them were suffering from three and half days thirst!!

From the very beginning of the contact with Yazid’s army, Imam Hussain (RA) had been addressing and advising them not to make the mistake of killing him by reminding them several hadith of Prophet (S). However, they did not pay any attention to it and shot hundreds of arrows on Imam Hussain (RA) when he engaged in the battle. The arrows caused him to fall down from his horse and made him land on the numerous arrows that pierced his body. He was decapitated by Shimr with a dagger that cut off his throat where our Prophet (S) used to kiss him.

As soon as they had killed Imam Hussain (RA) they burnt and looted the tents where the family members of Imam Hussain (RA) and other women were taking shelter. They arrested them and took them to Syria as captive.

And along with them all the martyrs’ heads were perforated and carried on top of a spear and brought to Yazid!!

Lets not forget that all these were done in the name of Islam by a group of so called Muslims to the household of Islam’s Prophet (S) only after 50 years of his death!

Some Martyrs of Karbala

Ali Asgar – 6 month child of Imam Hussain

Ali Akbar – Imam Hussain’s 18 years old son, who used to look very similar to our Prophet (S)

Qasim – 14 years old Son of Imam Hasan (RA)

Abi Baqr, Abdullah, Hasan – three other sons of Imam Hasan (RA)

Abul Fadhl Abbas, Abdullah, Ja’far, Uthman, Muhammad, Abbas Al Asgar, Abbas bin Ali, Muhammad bin Abbas bin Ali – 8 sons of Hazrat Ali (RA)

Ummul Fadhl the daughter of al-Harith said, I entered one day on the Messenger of Allah (S) and put him (Hussain)in his lap, but I

noticed that the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (S) pouring tears! So I said: Oh! Prophet of Allah, my parents are your ransom, what

is with you? He said: Gabriel (AS) came to me and informed me that my nation (ummah) will kill this son of mine.”

References:

Al-Mustadrak al-Sahih, al-Hafidh al-Hakim al-Nisapouri, v. 3, p. 176, (al-Hakim said: “This is an authentic hadith (Sahih) on the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim but they did not print it”); Dalael al-Nubouwa, al-Hafidh al-Bayhaqi under the subject of al-Hussain (AS); Cf. Ibn al-A'tham IV, (Hyderabad, 1971), p. 211-2, the author narrates this hadith using a different chain of narration.

Ashura is a day of Mourning. As our Prophet (S) mourned –

Lets not be misguided and fooled by those who get involved in some unacceptable activities out of their emotion or ignorance. And also by those who tries to save

Yazid by downplaying the role of Imam Hussain (RA) for no reason. They do not have the heart to even understand the status of Hussain (RA) as stated by our Prophet (S).

What if Imam Hussain (RA) did not give his life in Karbala?

The world would have never come to know real character of Yazid.

We would have accepted many deviations and wrong doings as legal as part of the Khalifa’s practices.

Islam would have become a tool to be used by the rulers, like Christianity.

We would have never learned how to protest an oppressor

We would have never learned the significance of enjoining good and forbidding evil (Amr bil maa’ruf wa nahi anil munkar)

Hussain’s (RA) Martyrdom, hence, is the Revival of Islam.