The Day of Ashura: From Karbala to Ghazzah
Zafar Bangash
Muharram 10, 1446 2024-07-16
Daily News Analysis
Many important events in Prophetic history occurred in Muharram, one of the four sacred months in the Islamic lunar calendar.
The tenth day of Muharram called Ashura is especially important.
Some of the momentous events that occurred on the Day of Ashura were:
1: Adam’s (as) repentance was accepted;
2: Nuh’s (as) Ark came to rest on Mount Jody;
3: Ibrahim (as) was saved from the fire;
4: Musa (as) went across the Red Sea;
5: Ayub (as) recovered from the terrible affliction of his skin disease;
6: Yunus (as) was disgorged from the stomach of the whale; and,
7: Isa (as) was raised on the Day of Ashura.
In a narration in Bukhari, Ayesha (ra) is quoted as saying that when the Prophet (pbuh) migrated to Madinah, he found the Jews used to fast on the 10th of Muharram.
Upon inquiry, he was told that this was the day on which Allah parted the sea for Musa (as) and the Bani Israel to escape the army of the Pharaoh.
They fast in gratitude to Allah.
The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said that we have greater claim to Musa (as) than the Bani Israel.
We will fast on the Day of Ashura.
This is the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) that many sincere Muslims follow.
The noble Qur’an narrates the safe escape of Musa (as) and his followers in this ayah: “And [thus], indeed have We sent Musa with Our demonstrations of this Command, ‘Lead your people out of the depths of darkness [in their subordination to a worldly power—the Pharaoh] into the light [of Allah’s superior authority] and remind them of the days of Allah.’ Verily, in this reminder, there are divine power demonstrations for those who are patient in adversity and grateful [to Allah].” ((The Ascendant Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim: ayah 05).
What are Ayyam-o Allah – the Days of Allah?
These are special days chosen by Allah for special events.
In his tafsir, Ibn Kathir says, “Allah has chosen special people from His creation: from among the angels, He chose Messengers; from among mankind, he chose Messengers; from among speech, He chose (Dhikr), the remembrance of Allah; from among spaces on earth, He chose the Masajid; from among the months, He chose Ramadan and the sacred months… So, venerate that which has been chosen by Allah, for people of understanding and wisdom respect that which has been chosen by Allah.”
‘Ashura is one of those special days of Allah.
In post-Prophetic history, a terrible event also occurred on the Day of Ashura.
Imam Hussain and all male family members of his family including infants were slaughtered.
The only exception was Imam Zayn al-Abidin. He was too sick, lying in the tent, and thus spared but only because Bibi Zaynab, Imam Husain’s sister, stood in front of Yazidi soldiers.
She told them before they touch Imam Zayn al-Abidin, they will have to kill her.
They backed off.
Imam Zayn al-Abidin’s real name was Ali ibn Husain.
He was given this title because he used to spend most of his time in prayer.
The title means the adornment of worshippers.
He is also referred to as al-Sajjad because he used to spend much time in sajda.
He produced the Munajat-e Ta’ibeen (supplications or duasof the sincere repenters).
These duas would move any sincere reciter to tears.
His Munajat are also referred to as Sahifa Sajjadiya.
Muslims must recite these beautiful duas and cultivate the true spirit of repentance to Allah.
The tragic events of Karbala must be understood properly because they have had a huge impact on Muslim history.
The Yazidi army not only killed all male members of the Prophet’s family but the females plus Imam Zayn al-Abidin were also put in chains and dragged to Damascus.
The women were humiliated by taking off their hijabs.
The Yazidi army also indulged in the Jahili practice of chopping the heads of the victims.
The Prophet (pbuh) had expressly forbidden this.
Muslims cannot and must not take these crimes lightly.
The Prophet (pbuh) was extremely fond of Imam Husain and indeed of his older brother Imam Hasan.
Bukhari narrates from Abu Huraira that when Imam Husain was very young, one day the Prophet (pbuh), holding his forearms said to him, ‘O Husain, climb up, climb up’.
Imam Husain climbed up and when his feet were on the Prophet’s chest, he kissed him fondly and said, “O Allah, I love him, You, too, love him”.
The Prophet (pbuh) also said, “Whoever loves me and these two (meaning Hasan and Husain), along with their mother and father, they will be with me on the Day of Judgement” (Tirmidhi).
He (pbuh) also said, Husain-o minni, wa anna min Husain (Husain is from me and I am from Husain). Allah loves the one who loves Husain…” (Tirmidhi)
In Sahih Bukhari’s Kitab al-Fitn, the Prophet (pbuh) is quoted as saying that “some misguided and evil youth from Quraish will destroy my Ummah.”
He referred to Imam Husain as “an Ummah”.
In another hadith narrated in At-Tabarani, the Prophet (pbuh) was even more specific: “60 years after my migration [from Makkah to Madinah], some misguided and evil youth of Quraish will slaughter my grandson, Husain.”
Um al-Mumineen, Um Salama narrated that one day, while holding the baby Husain in his arm, the Prophet (pbuh) gave her some soil.
She asked what is it?
The Prophet (pbuh) replied:
“This is from Karbala; put it in an urn. The day Husain is martyred, it will turn to the color of blood.”
On the Day of Ashura, she saw the Prophet (pbuh) in her dream.
He (pbuh) was extremely distressed.
His hair was covered in dust and tears were rolling down his blessed cheeks.
She asked: “Why are you crying, O Messenger of Allah?”
“They have killed my grandson and his companions in Karbala,” said the Prophet (pbuh).
Um Salama woke up in shock.
When she glanced at the urn in which she had put the soil; it had turned to the color of blood.
She realized that Imam Husain had been martyred and wept at this tragedy.
Imam Husain was no ordinary person.
He was not only the grandson of the Prophet (pbuh) but deeply loved by him.
Those who perpetrated that terrible act of dhulm and injustice at Karbala will be accountable before Allah on the Day of Judgment.
Imam Husain’s struggle was not for worldly power but to uphold the principle of legitimacy in Islam.
It was also to reaffirm the standard of Islamic justice.
He sacrificed his own life and that of his entire family and companions, but shut the door on all future tyrants and usurpers of power.
While it has not prevented the tyrants from grabbing power, they cannot use Imam Husain’s example to justify their crimes.
Had Imam Husain given bay‘ah (allegiance) to Yazid, every tyrant would demand it today.
The torture chambers of the tyrants are full of innocent people whose cries echo the cries of Imam Husain and his family.
If we want to see today’s Karbala, Ghazzah provides a ready example.
The people of Ghazzah are part of the caravan of Imam Husain standing up to today’s tyrants.
The whole world is against them but they stand firm.
Most Muslim rulers are acting like the people of Kufa did who betrayed Imam Husain.
Yahya Sinwar, one of the leaders of the Islamic resistance in Ghazzah, said: “We struggle for our rights against the oppressors and usurpers.
“If we are victorious, we achieve freedom.
“If we are killed, we achieve martyrdom, following the example of Imam Husain.”
The people of Gaza are exhausted.
They are being shunted from one place to another and then bombed in the new supposedly “safe place”.
Their homes, hospitals, schools, universities and bakeries have been destroyed.
They are being starved to death.
While the official death toll is put at 38,500 plus, a study by the British Medical Journal, Lancet, estimates that perhaps as many as 186,000 Palestinians have been killed.
The struggle against tyranny and injustice continues.
Without justice there can be no peace.
