“I learned from Husayn

how to be wronged and be a winner.”

– Mahatma Gandhi¹

Introduction

From the very first human appearance, the creation of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), life – itself – can be perceived as being a struggle of right and wrong, good and evil, yes and no, pro and anti. Countless examples can be interpreted in such a manner; Prophet Adam (as²) and Satan, Prophet Musa (Moses; as) and Pharaoh, Imam Husayn (ra³) and Yazid, and not just individuals but ideas and ideologies can also be considered to conflict each other, such as monotheism and polytheism, democracy and dictatorship.

An event that occurs at any particular time can – and is – viewed and interpreted in a lot of different ways. It is the job of the historians to analyse historical events in such a manner that they are able to reconstruct a record of human activities and to the best of their abilities arrive to a possible conclusion. However, despite the apparent claim – in my opinion – the conclusions reached by historians are greatly influenced by their own perception, belief and inclination. The pros will provide a pro-account, the antis an anti-account and the neutral will provide a hypothesis based upon their own understanding. A question then arises that what and who is pro and anti in a given incident? To a certain extent, to justify their own beliefs many people do bring and interpret history in their favour.

Historiography and the study of history was previously not given due importance until fairly recently, with the development of academia. Before the late 18th century, historiography (the writing of history) did not stand at the centre of any civilization according to the Encyclopædia Britannica.⁴ This leads to the issue of authentication of records and accounts. The authenticity of any account or record is subject to the scrutiny of the intellectual historians. However, here arises a question in my mind, what and whose source is authentic to which specific historian? A source presented by a Western scholar might not be acceptable to a Muslim scholar and vice-versa. Authentication and absence of any form of bias is a key feature when studying history, which should be kept in mind.

In light of the above, the character of Imam Husayn (ra) and the events of Karbala are a great example of historiography at its best. Some historians have written detailed literature on Imam Husayn (ra) and the events surrounding his demise, others have brushed aside this entire event in just one paragraph. To some the event of Karbala is a representation of tyranny and despotism, to others a mere unfortunate bloody massacre. To some it is the greatest martyrdom, to others the result of poor opportunism. To some it is an example of steadfastness on what is right, to others the crushing of a rebellion. Hence, to some he is a hero, to others a rebel. Eventually, we come to the realisation that to some he is just another player in a ‘bloody’ event, yet to others he has grown out of the individual and has become a religious phenomenon.

It is the objective of this essay that I analyse some of the factors that play a key role in examining this topic, the events leading to Karbala, the effect of the ‘bloody’ incident and the perception of Imam Husayn (ra) amongst various theological faculties. In the end, I will present my humble conclusion regarding Imam Husayn (ra); whether I see him as a mere player or a religious phenomenon.

Key factors in the study of Imam Husayn (ra)

When studying and analysing a figure in history, one needs to look, with penetrating vision, at all possible aspects and factors that are related to the figure in order to attain a full and thorough picture of history, and then arrive at a judgement. If these factors are not examined, then this will lead to a distorted view of the actual happening and it is quite possible that a wrong picture of the figure is established. Regarding Imam Husayn (ra), the factors that I find play a crucial role in understanding his role in Islamic history are the following:

1. The personality of Imam Husayn (ra); in particular his relationship with the Final Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Imam Husayn (ra) was born in the fourth year after the migration of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from Makka to Madina. His father was the fourth Caliph, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra), and his mother Fatima (ra), the daughter of the Prophet.⁵ Being the grandson of the Prophet, Imam Husayn (ra) has acquired a unique place in the hearts of Muslims.

The family of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is given the appellation Ahl al-Bayt (people of the house). Their status and position in Muslim thought can be understood as them being a royal family. In books of tradition and ahadith, many references can be found that highlight their nobility and grand status. Besides tradition, there are verses of the holy book, the Qur’an, that place the Prophet’s family in an elevated position, for example:

1 “Truly, Allah desires to remove all uncleanliness from you, O Members of the Prophet’s household, and to purify you after cleansing you thoroughly.” (33:33)⁶

2 “The angels said: Do you wander at the command of Allah? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you O People of the House! Verily He is the all-praiseworthy, the most honourable.” (11:73)⁷

With grand status comes responsibility. As Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade himself to take any portion of Zakat money (alms-giving), similarly he has made it unlawful that any member of his family takes this money. Even today, there are many poor Muslims who have their lineage going back to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and are called al-Ashraf; however, they are not given any share of the obligatory Zakat. If they require aid, Muslims are to give them mere gifts and donations, but nothing from the 2.5% Zakat share of their wealth.⁸

Despite being a member of a family to whose ‘holiness’ religious scriptures testify, Imam Husayn (ra) has been given a little more importance. His unique position and the affection of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) towards him is highlighted in the following ahadith:

1 “O Allah! Love him, for indeed I love him.”⁹

2 Zayd ibn Abi Ziyada reports: The Messenger of Allah (most high) came out of the house of ‘A’isha (ra) and as he passed by the house of Fatima (ra), he heard Imam Husayn (ra) crying and so he stated, “Do you not know that his crying causes me pain and hurt.”¹⁰

3 “Hasan and Husayn are the leaders of the youth amongst the dwellers of paradise.”¹¹

From the above verses and traditions, it becomes clear that Imam Husayn (ra) cannot be considered as a mere ordinary Muslim who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. However, these traditions guarantee the fact that no matter what Imam Husayn (ra) intends and pursues, he will – without a doubt – have immense support and a great following amongst the Muslims. Also, those who consider him to be wrong in any specific incident must have a strong case against him, otherwise, the mainstream Muslim population will outcast them and reject their case and point of view outright.

To the Shi‘i Muslims, Imam Husayn (ra) is more than just a holy figure. He is the third out of the twelve Imams.¹² The day of his death has become one of the main annual religious occasions amongst the Shi‘i population and is observed with great passion and devotion. To the mainstream Sunni Muslims, Imam Husayn (ra) has an extremely unique position and is revered very highly. He is portrayed as a true martyr, saviour of Islam, and a symbol of patience and trust in the will of Allah (most high).¹³ He is given the title Sayyid al-Shuhada (leader of the martyrs).

2. The state of the Muslim Ummah by the year 60 AH / 680 CE.

During the twenty three years of his prophethood, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) quite successfully transformed an entire society. The barbaric became civilized. The neglected in society became respectable members of society. Tribal and clannish culture was transformed into a union based upon faith. This can clearly be seen, by studying the books of sira, when Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) migrated to Madina he produced a brotherhood between the Muslims. One from the Muhajirun became a brother to one from the Ansar. With the existence of a prophet amongst the believers, there was no concern about religious authority, political power, leadership, legislator, justice, etc., as the Messenger of God is the second authority after God, Himself.

However, after the passing of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the first challenge facing the followers of this new religion was one of leadership. So, eventually, Abu Bakr (ra) became the first caliph, followed by ‘Umar (ra), ‘Uthman (ra) and ‘Ali (ra) respectively. The era of these four caliphs is called al-Khilafa al-Rashida, most commonly translated as ‘the rightly-guided caliphate’ by the majority of Muslims, although Abdassamad Clarke in his translation of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti’s Tarikh al-Khulafa’ states that it means ‘who took the right way’.¹⁴ The first four caliphs are separated from the rest of the Muslim rulers in this way, possibly because after this era there happen to be a lot more political chaos, problems, and ups and downs. However, it is essential that we look briefly at the situation during these years.

During the era of the first four caliphs, the Muslim empire grew rapidly. Other than Abu Bakr (ra), the other three caliphs were all assassinated. How well the murderers were being dealt with was an issue playing on the tongues of many. Various factions began to appear for whom political following and loyalties were more important for time passing rather than religion itself.

The Muslims had seen difficulties between eminent personalities in this period. Such as the issue that concerned ‘A’isha (ra), Mu‘awiya (ra) and ‘Ali (ra). After the death of ‘Ali (ra), Imam Hasan (ra), his eldest son, was appointed leader for a short while but in order to reconcile all Muslims in unity, Imam Hasan (ra) abdicated and left Iraq to reside in Madina, the city of his grandfather.

On this note, ponder over western scholarship’s point of view and the manner in which M A Shaban writes on these events in his so-called Islamic History; A New Interpretation:

With ‘Ali dead and al-Hasan having abdicated, the office of Amir al-Mu’minin fell naturally to Mu‘awiya, and he was acclaimed the new ruler by all except the Khawarij. The Madinan regime was bankrupt; Quraysh’s bid for the leadership had been brushed aside with contemptuous ease; and ‘Ali’s new-style Khalifate had proved a pathetic failure. It now fell to Mu‘awiya to devise a new regime for the empire.¹⁵

On the other hand, observe the manner in which Aisha Bewley, in her book Mu‘awiya; Restorer of the Muslim Faith, writes:

After the murder of ‘Uthman, the situation within the Muslim community deteriorated into anarchy and civil war. Outward expansion stopped. Everything stopped. People formed factions, mostly based on ancient alliances and rivalries. The situation was dire. Into this chaos stepped the governor of Syria, Mu‘awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. The year that the Prophet’s grandson, Hasan ibn ‘Ali, surrendered his claim to the Khalifate in favour of Mu‘awiya is called the Year of Jama‘a, the year of the gathering, the year of the restoration of Muslim unity.¹⁶

The two grandsons of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) continued their lives in Madina. Mu‘awiya (ra), before his demise, passed on the rule to his son, Yazid.

3. Mu‘awiya (ra) and his son, Yazid.

Western scholarship, such as M A Shaban, have portrayed Mu’awiya (ra) as a mere clever secular ruler. The Shi‘i community have vilified and denigrated him outright. The mainstream Sunni Muslims respect and revere him and are extremely reluctant to accuse him of any wrongdoing. This is mainly due to the fact that he was a prominent Companion of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and regarding his Companions he has said, in a narration quoted by Tirmidhi, that whoever hates them, incurs my hate by doing so and whoever harms them has harmed me.¹⁷

Just like evil is the opposite of good, Yazid is considered to be the opposite of Imam Husayn (ra). In the mainstream Muslim world, Imam Husayn (ra) is an example of patience and martyrdom, whereas Yazid is an example of tyranny and despotism. Although the Shi‘a degrade both Yazid and his father, Mu‘awiya (ra), the Sunnis do not demean Mu‘awiya (ra) – as explained – but regarding Yazid hold similar beliefs as the Shi‘a. Yazid is considered to be an evil beyond all evils, a man of bad character and evil intent, a man thirsty for power, an unworthy Caliph and a disgrace to the Caliphate. The main reason behind all ill feelings is that he was the one responsible for the slaying of an esteemed persona, the grandson of the final Messenger, Imam Husayn (ra).

Islamic literature is full of writings discussing Yazid, his character, his lack of respect or regard for Islamic values and his political tyranny. A contemporary Sufi scholar of the Indian sub-continent, Diya’ al-Ummat, Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (d. 1998), quotes the following narrations in his essay Husayn, Yazid and Kharijiyyat:

1 Tahdhib al-Tahdib, volume 1:

One day, in the presence of Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, Yazid was mentioned. One of those present spoke out, “Amir al-Mu’minin Yazid said…” ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz spoke out in anger, “How dare you call a wicked person such as Yazid, the commander of the faithful.” Then he ordered that the one who says Amir al-Mu’minin be lashed twenty times.¹⁸

2 Tarikh al-Tabari and Tarikh al-Kamil:

A delegation from Madina upon returning from Yazid stated, “We have come from such a person who has no faith, who drinks wine, who plays the tambourine, slave-girls sing before him, who plays with dogs, till late in the evening thieves and bad character people sit beside him chatting of fables. O people of Madina! We make you witness that we have taken off and thrown away the collar of bay‘a to that person.¹⁹

3 Ibn Kathir in al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya:

Yazid was very famous for things such as song and music, drinking of wine and alcohol, singing, hunting, possessing slaves and slave-girls, rearing dogs, wrestling for amusement between rams, bears and monkeys. When he would wake up in the morning he would be in a state of intoxication and drunkenness.²⁰

Mu‘awiya (ra) is accused of passing the leadership of a religious community and, in particular, the sanctified institution of the Caliphate to his son, Yazid, by some Muslim and many non-Muslim scholars. However, it is to be noted that Mu‘awiya (ra) was unaware of his son’s religious attitude and blemished moral character and passed the rule unto him to avoid a future civil war.²¹

Karbala;

The event that shook Islamic History

The climax of this issue rests in the plains of Karbala. It was this incident that determined the fate of Yazid in the eyes of future Muslims and it also placed Imam Husayn (ra) in every Muslim’s heart. The actual incident and the massacre that took place makes every sane person shudder at just the thought of it. Many writers have explained the entire event to the smallest detail. It is actually possible to visualize the event through these writings. Some go to the length of informing the number of wounds upon the body of Imam Husayn (ra) at the time he fell from his horse and was beheaded.

Some scholars have adopted the view that this was a result of poor opportunism. Notably, I quote from M A Shaban who writes:

The first challenge came from Husayn, the younger son of ‘Ali. He was so convinced that the time was ripe for a bid for power, and so confident of gathering enough support among the partisans, Shi‘a, of his father there, that he marched, or rather rushed, on Kufa accompanied only by his family and a few followers. But he was mistaken. The Ummayyad forces found it an easy matter to massacre the entire party at Karbala just outside Kufa. A routine police operation sufficed to deal with this Shi‘ite rebellion.²²

Strangely this is the ‘new interpretation’ of Islamic History by M A Shaban. To comment on this, firstly, it is worth noting that M A Shaban has just this one paragraph where he discusses this incident. In a history book of 189 pages covering 132 years, this is unfair – in my opinion – to an event that is so crucial in shaping Islamic history and thought. Secondly, if it was a bid for power, may I ask, why did Imam Husayn (ra) take his family and a few followers with him? Was he unaware of the political situation and uncertainty? Thirdly, M A Shaban has himself given us an idea of what Yazid’s political career was like when he calls a cold blooded massacre of so many just a routine police operation. If this was the norm and routine of the state, then for those of the royal family to stand up and rebel against the state for what they thought to be right and just is understandable and plausible, something which M A Shaban clearly has not grasped.

Some Muslim thinkers have accused Imam Husayn (ra) of being a rebel such as Mahmud Ahmad ‘Abbasi in his book Tabsira Mahmudi.²³ Rebellion to a Muslim Caliph is not permitted and the punishment is death. However, in light of this Caliph Yazid’s conduct and character, there is concern regarding the sanctity of the institution of the Caliphate and whether this Caliphate could be labelled as a true Islamic Caliphate governed by Islamic principles? In which direction was Yazid taking the Muslim world? How could a person like him be considered a rightful successor to the rightly-guided Caliphate? Was his rule lawful? Was allegiance to him compulsory, especially by the grandson of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? Should this most noble grandson uphold the sanctity of his grandfather’s religion or swear allegiance to someone who had lust for power and no concern for the religion of his populace?

On the other hand, the mainstream and the majority of Muslims hold the view that when Imam Husayn (ra) was faced with a terrible opposition in Madina wanting him to swear allegiance to Yazid, Imam Husayn (ra) left the city and went to the city of Makka. However, the Shi‘a of Iraq continued to send letters and messengers to Imam Husayn (ra), asking him to come to Iraq and take hold of their leadership as the oppression and tyranny of Yazid was ever growing. Imam Husayn (ra) sent his cousin Muslim ibn ‘Aqil to assess the situation. Muslim observed the situation and returned a message saying it was safe to come to Iraq. The prophetic Companions that were in Makka, strongly opposed and advised Imam Husayn (ra) not to go, as he could not trust the Shi‘a of Iraq. This was based upon their previous experience with his father and brother. Despite this, Imam Husayn (ra) wished to help the people of Iraq so he set off with his family and a few followers. During this time, Yazid stepped up his operations in Iraq at the hands of Ibn Ziyad, Muslim was murdered and the Shi‘a turned on Imam Husayn (ra). Soon it was the plains of Karbala, Imam Husayn (ra) refused to swear allegiance to Yazid and the massacre took place.²⁴ In the words of Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari:

Just pay a little attention and bring this scene before your imagination that the Shiites of Kufa, by sending hundreds of letters and messengers and by great imploration and adulation, call his eminence to their place. But when the whip of Ibn Ziyad flutters in the air ready to lash upon their backs, they break their oath of allegiance. Not only do they draw back from helping Imam Husayn (ra) but rather challengingly stand in opposition to him.²⁵

Conclusion

My study of this amazing topic has made me aware that this discussion is so vast that it is difficult to place it in a few thousand words, and we have only looked at the froth above the ocean.

Nevertheless, by studying in detail the few points that I have tried to draw attention towards and by deeply pondering over them, it becomes apparent that Imam Husayn’s position in Islam is far greater than that what is perceived. The manner in which he was killed has touched the hearts of Muslims throughout the centuries. He has become an ideal and pure role model. He is considered to be an embodiment of true faith in the will of Allah (most high), patience and humility of the highest standard, and a saviour of true Islam.

In some ways he seems to have acquired a position similar to Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus; as) amongst the Christian community. Both Jesus [according to the Christians] and Imam Husayn (ra) [according to the Muslims] gave the most lovable possession – their life – for the cause of good and for the betterment of humanity. Both have become inspiring ideals to their followers. I conclude that Imam Husayn (ra) has become a religious phenomenon.

It is worth noting that centuries after his death, a very large number of Muslims have adopted the name Husayn, yet in my life I have not come across any Muslim named ‘Yazid’.

In the end, I present a quote of Thomas Carlyle, who said:

The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Husayn 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 Husayn despite his minority marvels me!²⁶

___

Notes

¹ Imam Muhammad Shirazi, Husayn; The sacrifice for mankind, Section: What they said about Imam Husayn. Internet version: http://www.shirazi.org.uk/sacrifice.htm

² as: ‘alayhi al-salam, peace be upon him.

³ ra: radiya Allahu ‘anhu/anha, Allah be pleased with him/her.

⁴ The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 20, Macropædia; Knowledge in Depth, 15th Edition, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (1995), 559.

⁵ Taha ‘Abd al-Ru’uf Sa‘d (from the scholars of al-Azhar), al-Husayn; Sayyid Shabab Ahl al-Janna (Husayn; leader of the youth amongst the people of paradise), Cairo: al-Safa Publications (1999), pp 28, 36, 38.

⁶ Qur’an, Surat al-Ahzab (33:33).

⁷ Qur’an, Surat Hud (11:73).

⁸ Shaykh M I H Pirzada, Imdad al-Fiqh fi’l-‘Ibadat, Cairo: Dar al-Salam for publishing and distribution (2003), 183.

⁹ ‘Abdullah al-‘Alayali, al-Imam al-Husayn, Beirut: Dar Maktaba al-Tarbiya (1972), 291.

¹⁰ Taha ‘Abd al-Ru’uf Sa‘d (from the scholars of al-Azhar), al-Husayn; Sayyid Shabab Ahl al-Janna (Husayn; leader of the youth amongst the people of paradise), Cairo: al-Safa Publications (1999), 40.

¹¹ Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Book of Manaqib, Chapter of Manaqib al-Hasan wa’l-Husayn, Hadth 4136.

¹² Moojan Memon, An introduction to Shi‘i Islam, London: Yale University Press (1985), 28.

¹³ Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari, Maqalat (The Essays), Volume 2, Lahore: Diya’ al-Qur’an Publications (1990), 310.

¹⁴ Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa’ (The history of the Khalifahs), London: Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd. (1995), xi.

¹⁵ M A Shaban, Islamic History; a new interpretation, I, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1971), 78.

¹⁶ Aisha Bewley, Mu‘awiya; Restorer of the Muslim Faith, London: Dar Al Taqwa Ltd. (2002), iv.

¹⁷ Ibid., 85.

¹⁸ Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari, Maqalat (The Essays), Volume 2, Lahore: Diya’ al-Qur’an Publications (1990), 302.

¹⁹ Ibid., 305.

²⁰ Ibid., 310.

²¹ Ibid., 300-301; Muhammad Shafi‘ Awkarwi, Imam Pak awr Yazid Palid (The pure Imam and the tainted Yazid), Lahore: Diya’ al-Qur’an Publications (2000), 39.

²² M A Shaban, Islamic History; a new interpretation, I, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1971), 91.

²³ Muhammad Shafi‘ Awkarwi, Imam Pak awr Yazid Palid (The pure Imam and the tainted Yazid), Lahore: Diya’ al-Qur’an Publications (2000), 21-22.

²⁴ Ibid., 53-55.

²⁵ Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari, Maqalat (The Essays), Volume 2, Lahore: Diya’ al-Qur’an Publications (1990), 304.

²⁶ Imam Muhammad Shirazi, Husayn; The sacrifice for mankind, Section: What they said about Imam Husayn. Internet version: http://www.shirazi.org.uk/sacrifice.htm