A few months back I had posted this write-up as my understanding of the most important contribution of Imam Husain to Islam. As it is relevant to this topic and thread, I am posting the link below.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9797&p=137742&hilit ... da#p137742
In the coming days of Moharram Ihope you find it worthwhile. The full article is posted below.
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I am sharing on this forum my thoughts on why I think the statement “Islam jinda hota hai har Karbala ke baad” has truth, and why the sacrifice at Karbala is considered Imam Hussein’s seminal contribution to Islam - one that in my mind probably had the most long-lasting impact. If you disagree with me, I urge you to correct me, and I will gladly welcome that. I am hoping for a good discussion.
This post is somewhat long (more like an article) and is broken up into 3 parts. Part 3 will wrap up the information provided in Part 1 and 2 to complete the argument. And I have provided publicly accessible reference below.
Part 1: The events in Karbala and the Muslim community in the first 50 years after the Prophet’s [PBUH] death.
What was the essence of the contribution of Imam Hussein (AS) which we mention to this date as “saving the religion of Islam?” To answer that question, we have to understand the reason why Imam Hussein (AS) was protesting the elevation of Yazid to the caliphate. It had been just about 50 years since the death of the Prophet of Islam, and the caliphs were very much thought of as representatives of Islam and were considered as the leaders of the community. To put it very soberly, Yazid’s careless temperament and his whole life, had many things in direct contrast to an Islamic way of living. What kind of an example would such a leader set for the world to see? The seminal contribution of Imam Hussein to Islam is best explained as a direct quote of the relevant text from [1] that I reproduce below:
“It is in this light that we should read Husayn’s replies to those well-wishers who advised him not to go to Iraq. It also explains why Husayn took with him his women and children, though advised by Ibn’ Abbas [his father’s cousin] that should he insist on the project, at least he should not take his family with him. Aware of the extent of the brutal nature of the reactionary forces, Husayn knew that after killing him, the Umayyads would make his women and children captives and take them all the way from Kufa to Damascus. This caravan of captives of Muhammad’s immediate family would publicize Husayn’s message and would force the Muslims’ hearts to ponder on the tragedy. It would make the Muslims think of the whole affair and would awaken their consciousness.
This is exactly what happened. Husayn succeeded in his purpose. It is difficult today to evaluate exactly the impact of Husayn’s action on Islamic morality and way of thinking because it prevailed. Had Husayn not shaken and awakened Muslim consciousness by this method, who knows whether Yazid’s way of life would have become standard behavior in the Muslim community, endorsed and accepted by the grandson of the Prophet. No doubt, even after Yazid kingship did prevail in Islam, and the character and behavior in the personal lives of kings was not very different from that of Yazid, but the change of thinking which prevailed after the sacrifice of Husayn always served as a line of distinction between Islamic norms and the personal character of the rulers”] [all emphasis is mine - Dal-chaval-palidu]
For me, when I read this passage, it was like a light turned ON and I understood the impact of Imam Hussein’s sacrifice.
Part 2: Where we talk of the behavior of Muslims currently and over the past 14 centuries.
Throughout history, including many examples from modern times, kings/rulers/(even despotic dictators) have claimed that they represented the true spirit of Islam – mostly done for their own convenience. In current times, the Saudi Arabian monarchy, Iran, Iraq (yes, Saddam claimed that he was the representative of Islam), Libya (so did Ghaddafi), Pakistan, Al-Qaeda, and a host of others have claimed that they represent Islam. Consider a very current event, the war and killings going on in Iraq by ISIS. ISIS would probably be claiming that they are the true Muslims and that they represent the true Islam.
Non-Muslims and Muslims alike ask the question: What kind of religion is this where Muslims kill Muslims all the time and with so much brutality. And they would have also asked the question: How can such despots (take your pick: Ghaddafi, Saddam, Saudi ruling family, Al-Qaeda) claim to be the leaders of your religion?
Over the centuries, other people would have asked (directly or subtly) the Muslim community: What kind of religion is this (Islam) of yours that kings (or, alternatively dictators, thugs, or oppressors) claim to be representing it, or claim to be its vanguard? And as morality is the long-term basis of religion, it would have weakened people’s faith in the religion if “not so moral” people would have claimed to be its leaders.
Part 3: [Summing up the argument from Part 1 and Part 2]
And the reply to the above questions that kept faith in Islam going was along the following lines: No, these people are NOT the representatives of the religion of Islam. Look, within 50 years from the death of the Prophet (PBUH), Yazid [one of the kings, the then caliph (also translated/interpreted as representative of the Prophet) and an immoral character] claimed to be the leader of Muslims. And the most-righteous, noble, and courageous grandson of the prophet refused to accept that and laid down his, his family’s, and his companions’ lives as a defining line separating the righteous life from un-righteousness. Hussein and his actions are the true representation of Islam, and that is the religion of Islam and our faith. In that sense, Imam Hussein saved Islam by providing a “moral anchor” for the religion that has survived the vicissitudes of time and has been a source of solace for Muslims.
This, in my opinion, is one of the defining and most enduring contributions of Imam Hussein. He did not do it by winning a battle – the specific battle he lost; but the clear differentiation (between right and wrong) that he drew in not giving allegiance (bait/accepting authority) to an un-worthy caliph and paying the ultimate price, its moral impact provided a clear point of demarcation (between right and wrong) for the religion. At least that is what I think.
In recent times, around the world we have seen many instances of (anti-Muslim bigoted) people saying that Islam supports terrorism, Islam is not a religion of peace and justice, etc. etc. After 9/11/2001 I was asked directly by one of my colleagues at work: dal-chaval-palidu, how can this be a moral faith, a religion of peace with justice, when people like bin Laden are perceived (wrongly so) as its most visible symbol/leaders? Such times can test ones faith, and I am sure that those times must have happened over the past 14 centuries too. And it is at such times that the sacrifice of Imam Hussein served as a line of distinction between true Islamic norms and the behavior of its so called champions. His life and actions have provided the faith its “rock” and in that sense Imam Hussein saved the religion of Islam.
References:
[1] “An Introduction to Shia Islam”, Moojam Momen, Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, 1987.
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And so what about current times..
Essentially, Imam Husain stood up for truth and against might and wrong. The true way to be a follower of Imam Husain would be to stand up for what is right in our times. There is injustice and wrong going on in each era, and to be a true follower of Imam Husain would be that we should stand up against whatever injustice and evil that is currently taking place.
As an example, if we claim to be the "spiritual heirs" of Imam Husain, we should have stood up against Modi (at least not get prominently in "bed" with him) as he basically was responsible for the killing of Muslims. This is just one example, there are others.
And I would think most Bohras (myself included) would not pass that test. That is just my opinion.