Ashura Uprising; Imam Hossein's endeavor to rescue intellect and religion from Umayyad deviation
Pars Today- Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli believes that Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) invited people to conscious worship to cause them to follow sound religious instructions which bring about growth in their life.
Since the uprising of Imam Hossein, the younger grandson of the grand Prophet of Islam and the third Imam of Shia Muslims, many questions have been raised among the elite, thinkers and even ordinary people on the motive for taking such a measure. In this article, Pars Today tries to review the issue of Imam Hossein's unmatched move according to the thoughts of the jurisprudent, philosopher, Gnostic, exegete of the holy Qur'an and Source of Emulation, Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli.
Basic moves of Imam Hossein (Peace upon him)
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli says, "In order to relieve the divine religion from captivity and deviation of the Umayyads, Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) tried to broaden people's cognizance of religion and its realties. Thus, he embarked on spreading monotheistic teachings and invited people to conscious worship.
Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) has explained the creation of man in this way, "God, the Glorious has created men for His cognizance. A man who gains cognizance of God will worship Him and a man who worships God will be self-sufficient of worshipping other than Him."
This statement of the Imam does not mean that it is enough for man to get cognizance of God, perform prayer, fast, and no more. These are just a small part of the real worship. Worship prevails deeply into rational and ideological teachings and ethical characteristics through all ordinary and spiritual aspects of life.
Imam Hossein (Peace upon him), with such words, called on humans to conscious worship so that, in all affairs of their life, they follow religion which is the source of man's happiness in the world and the Hereafter.
Time Was Ripe for Uprising
After the death of the Umayyad caliph, Muawiyah, [his son] Yazid ascended to the throne. He was a corrupt and criminal youth. His blatant violation of Islamic rules and explicit promiscuity was to the extent that people became aware of the duplicity and paganism of Umayyads and the best time for a religious uprising arrived. Despite all oppositions on his decision to struggle against Yazid, Imam Hossein emphasized on standing against Yazid. Therefore, when someone informed him of unfavorable and critical conditions, the Imam said, "By God, even if there is no refuge and no safe haven in the east, west, north and south [of the world], I will never compromise with this ignominious rule."
Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) also said to the proposal of Walid on allegiance with Yazid, "Yazid is a licentious man, a drunkard, a killer of forbidden soul and is explicitly engaged in immorality; and the like of me does not pledge allegiance with the like of him."
The point is not Yazid here. Rather such a thought is not compatible with the thought of Hossein. A monotheist person who has sold his soul and property to God, will not have dealings with God's enemy.
The Master of martyrs (Peace upon him), in response to Marwan bin Hakam, also, said,
"Farewell to Islam when people are caught up by a ruler like Yazid." It means that anyone whose scientific thought and practical motive is similar to mine, will not get along with the rule of dominance and oppression.
Imam Hossein, Heir of Prophets
Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) is the heir of prophets and his uprising is the continuity of their uprising in the same course. Just as prophets were raised for thriving of man's intellect, Imam Hossein, too, staged his uprising for this purpose. Thus, his uprising yielded numerous fruits, four of which we mention here:
- Uprising and martyrdom for clarification of divine love and reality of life
Master of martyrs, Imam Hossein (Peace upon him), tried to demonstrate the divine love and make people understand that God has created people because of love and He seeks the growth and development of their existence. The Imam sought to rescue humans' intellect.
- Uprising and martyrdom for reminding dignity and magnanimity of man and society
During the time of Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) moral virtues were captivated by the Umayyad family. Imam Hossein rescued religion and opened a new chapter of divine teachings and ethics for the society; and reminded man of his nobility and magnanimity.
- Uprising and martyrdom for reminding the Prophet's practice
Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) wrote in a letter to the people of Kufa: "The practice of the Messenger of God has been destroyed and innovations have prevailed."
With his bloody uprising, the Imam reminded of the divine rules and limits and the path of the Prophet in fighting ignorance, oppression and corruption; and thus caused revival of them in future.
- Uprising and martyrdom for revival of the path of prophets and development of intellects
Taking into account that prophets were raised for flourishing of human intellect and there have been powers like the Umayyads throughout history to hinder people's rational growth, they would come [be raised] successively to remove these hindrances. Through his uprising, Imam Hossein (Peace upon him) caused people to note that the Umayyads were not practicing the truth and one who does not practice the truth will not lead [intellects] to perfection.
Those societies which do not practice the truth and reality, will not reach perfection of intellect and will be captivated in the challenges of the world; because the perfection of intellect will materialize in the light of obedience of the truth and this will not take place in the conditions of the rule of oppressors such as the Umayyads.
Key phrases: Ashura uprising, Who is Imam Hossein? Karbala event, Umayyad caliphate, moral virtues, prayer, encountering oppression
RM/UR
