Muharram and Martyrdom of Imam Hussain Require From Us More Than Maatam and Marsiya (Mourning and Elegy)!

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, New Age Islam 17 July 2024 Main Point: For All Mankind, Muharram Is A Marsiya—An Elegy On The Martyrdom Of Imam Husain Ibn Ali AS, Prophet Muhammad's Noble Grandson. Not Just Muslims, Especially The ShiitesAnd Many Sunnis But The Whole Humanity Cries Over The Tragedy Of Karbala. Imam’s Sacrifice Of His Own Life And All His Precious Ones’ At The Battle Of Karbala Continues To Be A Catharsis Even Today. But More Than Just A Marsiya And Maatam (Mourning Or Commemoration), Muharram Epitomizes The Courage Of Conviction Called ‘Jazba-E-Hussaini’ To Stand Up Against Religious Corruption, Political Oppression, Moral Bankruptcy, Social Injustice, And Tyranny (Zulm) In Its Various Forms. ------- "The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." - Amelia Earhart The 10th of Muharram which coincides with the 17th of July this year marks a turning point in our Indian history too. On the auspicious 10th of Muharram, Imam Hussain (as) attained martyrdom and rescued humanity from the clutches of evil. He refused to surrender to the Tyrant Yazid, who created a dictatorial dynasty deviating from the consensual democracy (Shur’a) in Islam. Therefore, the noble sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as) is looked up to as the revival of the true Islamic principles of democracy, justice, fairness, and mutual consensus in matters of religion as well as governance. For all mankind, Muharram is a Marsiya—an elegy on the martyrdom of Imam Husain Ibn Ali AS, Prophet Muhammad's Noble Grandson. Not just Muslims, especially the Shiites and many Sunnis but the whole humanity cries over the tragedy of Karbala. Imam’s sacrifice of his own life and all his precious ones’ at the battle of Karbala continues to be a catharsis even today. But more than just a Marsiya and Maatam (mourning or commemoration), Muharram epitomizes the courage of conviction called ‘Jazba-e-Hussaini’ to stand up against religious corruption, political oppression, moral bankruptcy, social injustice and tyranny (Zulm) in its various forms. Over 1300 years ago, on this very day—the 10th of Muharram known in Islamic history as the “‘Ashura Day”— the great tragedy of human history happened in the land of Karbala in Iraq. On the day of ‘Ashura, or Yaum-e-’Ashura, several significant historical events related to the Holy Prophets of Islam, Christianity and Judaism took place. But the Battle of Karbala and the Martyrdom of Imam Husain came as the completion of all previous prophecies. It signified the prayers of Prophet Moses and marked the day when God saved the Children of Israel from the Egyptian Pharaoh. It was also the fulfilment of an incomplete sacrifice of Prophet Abraham’s son, Ismail, in the words of Shair-e-Mashriq (Poet of the East)—Allama Iqbal. However, the event of Karbala remains an unfulfilled mission of the Imam; repel injustice and replace the evil with the common good. Today wherever we look at our world, we find ourselves, our people, our planet and humanity in deep crisis. Injustices, inequalities, mistrust, division, prejudice, and ‘religious corruption’ are rampant. All this reminds us that the tragedy of Karbala is not yet over. Everywhere in the world, there are some scenes of Karbala. Wherever you step, you will find the land of Karbala. This is precisely why Imam Husain’s grandson Ja’far as-Sadiq averred in Arabic: “Kull Yaumʿ’AshuraWa Kull Arḍ Karbala” (Every day is the day of '‘Ashura and every land is the land of Karbala). Wherever injustice is meted out to the oppressed, from the Middle East, Europe, and America to Asia, Karbala is recalled. Whenever children die of hunger and thirst even in the arms of their mothers, the atrocities of Tyrant Yazid on the Innocent Imam and his helpless infants and toddlers, are recounted. Today when we’re living in Akhir-al-Zaman (end times) or Kalyug, when human lives are cheaper than animals, and humanity is being trampled, every drop of unjustly shed blood deports our memory and consciousness back to the blood of Hussain. This makes us weep and howl in the pain of humanity’s everyday Karbala not only in every month of Muharram but in every moment. While commemorating Muharram and recalling Imam Hussain’s martyrdom, we often forget those who stood by Hussain in his harshest times. Those who exerted concerted efforts to fight for truth and justice, though they did not belong to the religion of Imam. Imam Husain posed a question to humanity: ‘Hal Min NasirinYansurna’ (Who will stand by us)? History witnessed that it was only a handful of Muslims—his 72 family members and supporters—who were out there in Karbala to lay down their lives. But while Yazid’s commanders were hell-bent on a nefarious bid to split the Imam’s head, far from the battlefield of Karbala, some brave Indians too left their homes to strive for justice and support Husain’s family in Iraq. These soldiers—traced historically as ‘Hussaini Brahmins’—travelled to Karbala in 680 AD to write a golden page in the age-old history of Hindu-Muslim unity for justice and righteousness. Fast as wind, carving their way through the sand, and duned at lightning speed, this caravan of "Hussaini Brahmins" was small in numbers, and is little known. But their spirit re-enlivened the event of Karbala. Mainly from the Dutt community and Mohiyals, found in Punjab, they are traced back to some Rajput Mohiyals who stood by Hussain in Karbala. No wonder then why Imam Hussain before he was martyred, had proposed: “I would live in Madina on my conditions, or I wish migrate to Hindustan”. Both of these peaceful proposals were rejected by the Tyrant Yazid with all impunity. Consequently, the innocent and immaculate Imam and all his noble family members, near and dear ones were cornered at the River of Euphrates. They were brutally tortured, dehumanized and persecuted so much so that even water was denied to their little thirsty children and baby-feeding women. Even the youngest 6-month-old son of Imam Hussain Ali Asghar was killed in an extreme thirst for water. All these atrocities were executed on a written order from Yazid. The Tyrant, high on his power was adamant on forcing Imam to bow down to his despotism. He knew as long as the Imam was alive, he wouldn’t succeed in his autocracy. As we know, people remember the dearest ones and the real well-wishers in their harshest times. While Imam Husain wrote a letter seeking help from his childhood friend Habib in Arabia, his elder son Ali Akbar wrote a similar letter and sent it far away from Karbala……very far…to a Hindustani Raja (Indian King), Raja Samudrgupt. Strange as it may sound, history is witness to this unlikely relationship. Over 1400 years ago, the king of Iran, a Parsi by faith, had two daughters—Maher Bano and Shaher Bano. Maher Bano was married to King Samdurgupt and was renamed Chanderlekha. A few years later, Canderlekha’s younger sister, Shaher Bano, was married to Imam Husain (as). Chanderlekha and Samudrgupt were the Queen and King of India when they received the letter from Ali Akbar Ibn Husain AS. King Samudrgupt swiftly arranged for a group of brave Indian soldiers and ordered them to depart towards Karbala. The army commander was Rehab Dutt, a Mohiyal Brahmin. Unfortunately, by the time Rehab Dutt and his brave-heart soldiers reached Karbala, Imam Husain was killed. This news disheartened the entire Indian troupe. They decided to run their swords on their necks. “When the one we came to help is no more, what should we do with these swords? they asked. Just then, an Arab admirer of Imam Husain persuaded them to take the swords off their necks and join the force of Janab-e-Mukhtar. Thus, these Indian soldiers fought a memorable battle, exhibiting the best of Hindustani swords in Karbala to avenge the death of Imam Husain A.S. Even today, the place of Karbala where these brave Brahmins resided is called ‘ad-Dayar-ul-Hindiyya’. Some of these Brahmin were martyred at Karbala, some stayed back, while few returned to Mother India. History remembers these Brave Brahmins by the name of ‘Hussaini Brahmins’. We must salute this lesser-known but truly great saga of Hindu-Muslim unity. These Rajput Mohiyals or the Dutt family from India fulfilled the sacred vision of holy the Prophet when he said: I feel the fragrance coming from India. These "Hussaini Brahmins" also strengthen the beautiful blend of our strong Indo-Islamic tradition. In the words of a Hindustani poet: Wah Dutt Sultan, Hindu ka Dharm, Musalman ka Iman, Adha Hindu, Adha Musalman! (Bravo! O Dutt, the king who follows the Hindu religion as well as the Muslim faith, and is half Hindu and half Musalman) ----- A Regular Columnist with Newageislam.com, Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an Indo-Islamic scholar, Sufi poet and English-Arabic-Urdu-Hindi writer with a background in a leading Sufi Islamic seminary in India. He is currently serving as Head of International Affairs at Voice for Peace & Justice, Jammu & Kashmir. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/muharram-martyrdom-imam-hussainmaatammarsiya-mourning-elegy/d/132724 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism