Unprecedented popularity of Ashura tragedy in Gaza

A famous poet had once remarked: Let mankind wake from slumber; every nation will cry “Ours is Husain”.

This was evident in early October in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza where people, most of them traditionally Sunni Muslims, turned out in large numbers to commemorate Ashura or the 10^th of Muharram, the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Husain (AS), the Grandson of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). This is proof of the liberating message of the Immortal Martyr of Karbala, thanks to the efforts of the Islamic Revolution that triumphed in Iran in 1979 and has since revived for the world the teachings of the Prophet’s blessed progeny, the Ahl al-Bayt.

The tragedy of Ashura was commemorated by an unprecedented number of Gazans, underscoring the growing spread of the teachings of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt in the region, Some analysts attribute these development to the influence the Islamic Republic of Iran wields on the people of Palestine, who are fighting the tyranny of the Yazid-like illegal Zionist entity, called Israel. In the first week of Muharram, especially on the 10^th of the month or Ashura, tens of millions of people around the world mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Husain (AS). This event, which is usually associated with Shi’a Muslims, is also marked by conscientious Sunni Muslims, was commemorated the entirely Sunni Gaza Strip as well.

Several social media posts lauded the events as part of Iran’s ongoing attempt to bring the people of Gaza into their orbit. This was a setback for the Takfiri terrorists who preach hatred, violence, wanton killing and cannibalism. These dastardly outfits, after destabilizing Syria and Iraq, have now turned against the Hamas led government of Gaza. Nevertheless, the people of Palestine have become aware of the realities of history and politics.

Muhammad Mishmesh, an executive at Hamas’ Al Aqsa TV wrote a Facebook post praising the glorious stand of Imam Husain (AS) against tyranny and his refusal to acknowledge the Godless rule of Yazid ibn Mu’awiyya.

He said: “Ashura is the day when the world went dark, and the ummah started deteriorating and neglecting the Prophet’s heritage.” He further wrote: “With the killing of the representative of the Prophet’s family, the Master of the Youths of Paradise, the Imam, the Martyr, the Revolutionary Husain (AS); Our Lord Husain, blessed be the day you were born, the day you were killed, and the day you will be sent back by Allah. May a curse lie on Yazid, your corrupt killer!

Many phrases in Mishmesh’s post have encouraged Gazans to discover that the true successor of the Prophet was Imam Husain (AS). He praised the messianic qualities of the Prophet’s grandson and cursed Yazid, whom Sunnis also regard as an ungodly tyrant. And these developments are taking place in an area, which as part of Greater Syria in Islamic history, was ruled by the accursed Bani Omayya, who left no stone unturned to create disunity amongst Muslims through their animosity and adverse propaganda against the blessed progeny of the Prophet. This means Gaza and its people are no longer afraid to speak out, and Hamas has been instrumental in making this happen.

Another post that made the rounds was written by Muhammad Harb, a social activist who recently declared that he has become a Shi’ite Muslim, or devourt follower of the Prophet’s divinely-designated vicegerent, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS).

“Yazid, you lost,” Harb wrote. “See the memory of the prophet’s progeny spreading. … See their divine message spreading and purifying the land from your and your criminal soldiers’ transgression, see the Imam Husain (AS) leading the charge against your allies and the enemies of Allah, the Zionists and the Americans and the Saudi family and Daesh and the Wahhabis, and all the lowlifes, the criminals, the cynical, and the uneducated who support them.”

Mithqaal as-Sami, another well-known activist, pulled no punches, when he said on the occasion of Ashura in Gaza: “It’s a time of mourning for the spirit of the purest of men, for the spirit of the capital of honor, for the spirit of the state of heroism, for the planet of men, the hero leader, who defeated the devil, the Imam Husain bin Ali (AS). It was a massacre perpetrated against the grandson and granddaughters of the Prophet of Islam.”

Remarkably, as-Sami said no amount of pressure or threats would make him change his decision to formally become a follower of Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt. He said no one could undo his love for the Prophet of Islam’s blessed household. He wrote:

 “I declare that I have no part of the secular faith. I am at your service, O Husain (AS). I will never let you go even if everybody leaves me. I will not prefer others over the progeny of the Prophet of Islam. The Ahl al-Bayt are more than ten times better than even my mother and father. I abide by your word O Husain. You are my family, you are my love. You are my mother, my father, my grandmother, my entire life.”

The Gaza Strip has witnessed the establishment of a group called as-Sabareen, who are considered devout followers of the Ahl al-Bayt in Gaza, and are being accused of being Shi’a Muslims by the Takfiri terrorist outfits, who have even made attempts on the life of as-Sabareen’s leaders.

AS/SS