"Wa innama kharajtu li talabi-l islahi fi ummaati jaddi". Indeed I am leaving
Madinah to reform the ummah of my grandfather.
The above words summarise the mission of Imam Hussain (A.S.). These words are
part of his will which he left with his step brother Muhammad al-Hanafiyya. The
reform of the ummah through amr bil ma'ruf and nahyi anil munkar, that is what
should be the objective of every one of us claiming to be mourning for our Imam
during these twelve days.
It is only through amr bil ma'ruf and nahyi anil munkar can the Islamic
conscience amongst the Muslims be re-kindled and safeguarded. Mere indulgence in
ritualistic practices, however fervently executed, during the 'ashra can only be
an insult to our own intelligence if we lock them away for another year and
continue during the interim ignoring the call of our conscience to heed to the
message of Hussain. Our every action during these twelve days should be towards
our rededication to the message of Imam Hussain never to forsake our Islamic
conscience.
Let us reflect upon two case studies.
Zuhair ibne Qain al-Bajali was a Kufan. He was a committed Uthmani and would
have nothing to do with the Shiahs. Hussain's caravan was moving slowly towards
Kufa. Zuhair had gone for hajj and was returning to Kufa. It so transpired that
at place called Zarud the two caravans met. Zuhair learnt that the Imam's
caravan was but a short distance away but it did not occur to him to go and pay
his respects. Then in the early hours of the evening a messenger came to Zuhair
and said, "Abu 'Abdiallah Hussain ibne Ali has sent me to ask you to come to
him." A companion of Zuhair reports that they were all astounded. Zuhair
remained seated. His wife came to him and said, "O Zuhair the grand son of the
Holy Prophet has summoned you and you take no heed !" Zuhair got up and went
over to Imam's camp. No one knows what conversation took place between the two.
One can only surmise that this must have been Imam Hussain's yet another foray
into amr bil ma'ruf and nahyi anil munkar. All we know that when Zuhair returned
to his caravan his face, as Tabari puts it, was radiant and cheerful. He
dismissed his companions and told his wife that had decided to go with his Imam
to what may well turn out to be a certain death. She was free to return home.
Zuhair remained with Hussain. On the 'Ashura day, in the morning encounter, he
fought bravely reciting his rajas, "God has purified our souls and has guided
us." When someone taunted him that he was not a Shiah but an Uthmani, he
retorted, "But now seeing me with Hussain you must recognise that I am a Shiah
of Ali."
At Zuhr prayers when the Holy Imam was leading salatul Khauf and the arrows
continued to be shot at him, Zuhair offered to stand in front of Imam to protect
him. He would smile as he intercepted an arrow shot at Hussain by receiving it
his chest. Imam concluded the prayers and Zuhair fell dead. Thirteen arrows had
pierced his life out of him. He was a person whose conscience had been aroused
by amr bil ma'ruf and nahyi anil munkar and he died protecting that great 'ibadah-
the salah.
Hur bin Yezid at-Tamimi al-Yarbubi was a career officer in the Kufa army. When
Hussain bin Numayr, the commander at al-Qadisiya, learnt that Imam Hussain and
his entourage were getting very close to Kufa he dispatched Hur with a
detachment of 1,000 men to intercept Imam.
Hur believed that Imam was being prevented from entering Kufa because his
presence there might jeopardise the stability of the city. As a professional
soldier he did not very much concern himself with what he considered to be
political issues. His duty, he felt, was to execute the order of his superiors.
However, lurking somewhere in that stout military heart was an Islamic
conscience.
Hur and his soldiers met Imam Hussain and his companions at a place a few miles
outside Kufa. It was midday when the two parties met.
Hur and his people had been travelling since morning and were very thirsty. He
requested Imam Hussain for water for his army. Imam Hussain asked Hadhrat Abbas,
Hadhrat Ali Akber, Hadhrat Qasim and the others to give Hur and his men water
and also to give water to their horses. This must have been a poignant scene.
Water bottles being brought out of the saddle bags and the youths of Ahlul Bayt
pouring water for Yezid's army to quench their thirst.
Zuhr prayers were led by Imam and Hur and his soldiers joined in. After the
prayers Hur told Imam Hussain that his orders were to stop Imam Hussain from
going to Kufa unless he agreed to give "Bai'at" to Yezid. Imam Hussain said that
he would never give Bai'at to Yezid. Yezid was an unjust ruler who wanted to
destroy Islam. In any case he was going to Kufa because he had been invited by
the people there.
Imam produced two sacks of letters and petitions from the people of Kufa begging
him to go there. Hur said that as his orders were not to let Imam go to Kufa
there was nothing that he could do save carry out his orders.
Imam Hussain could have fought Hur and his soldiers and forced his way into Kufa,
but he did not wish to start any battle.
He told Hur that he would take another route and go away from Kufa. Hur said
that his orders were to follow Imam Hussain. And so, followed by Hur and his
1000 soldiers, Imam Hussain and his companions rode in the direction away from
Kufa.
On the 2nd Muharram, they reached Kerbala. Imam Hussain bought land there and
put up his tents. Hur and his men pitched their camps some distance away.
The following day, Umar bin Sa'ad came to Kerbala with 4000 soldiers. Umar Sa'ad
was the commander of the Yezid Army. He had several meetings with Imam Hussain
and was so impressed by Imam that he began to join Imam for prayers. When Ibne
Ziyad heard this, he was furious. He sent Shimr with 10,000 men and wrote a
letter to Umar bin Sa'ad, ordering him to get "Bai'at" from Imam Hussain or kill
him. Umar bin Sa'ad immediately changed his attitude towards Imam Hussain.
Following his instructions he imposed restrictions on Imam Hussain and his
followers from getting water from the Euphrates, and from the 7th Muharram, no
one from Imam Hussain's camp was allowed near the river.
On the night of Ashura, Hur was very restless. He could hear the children in
Imam Hussain's camp cry because of thirst. His conscience whispered to him:"What
have you done Hur? Why did you put the son of Fatimah in this position? Will
Allah ever forgive ?" This was the rising of his dormant Islamic conscience.
This career soldier could not sleep the whole night. Within him there was a
struggle between his duty as a soldier and his Islamic conscience. He had been a
professional soldier most of his life. He saw his life in terms of obedience to
his superiors and the military discipline. The political considerations were not
his concern. But now it was more than just the politics. The issues were moral
and touched the very core of Islam. Hur's Islamic conscience compelled him to
consider these issues.
Just before dawn he made up his mind. Hur, his son and his slave rode over to
Imam Hussain's camp. Hur threw himself at Imam Hussain's feet, pleading for his
forgiveness. Imam Hussain took Hur in his arms and said, "Hur, I forgive you. I
assure you that my grandfather, the Holy Prophet also forgives you".
The defection of a professional soldier of Hur's calibre is a momentous event in
the history of Kerbala. He chose to move from the side that would in a few hours
be victorious and earn great accolade from Ibne Ziyad and Yezid to the side of
the few hungry and thirsty men, children and infants who would certainly perish
in the burning sands of Kerbala. This marks a great victory for the cause of
Imam Hussain. Hur and his companions gave their lives for Islam.
Both these cases underline the victory of Islamic conscience over the might of
evil.
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