Arbaeen, Journey of Zealous Hearts (3)

In one corner of the Divine Throne these words have been written: “Indeed, Hussein is the Ark of salvation and the Beacon of guidance.”

Hussein is that great mystery of man’s creation that without decoding it mankind will never find the way toward eternal bliss and salvation. He is the very great mystery which in the 21^st century, while half of the world is plunged in blood and the other half is immersed in immorality, gathers tens of millions of lovers from across the world round the axis of the most valuable humane traits in a small city called Karbala. Surely, Hussein is the great mystery of creation that saves mankind from being drowned in the sea of ignorance and animalism and urges the world people to seek the Promised Mahdi. In view of this, Arbaeen betokens the decoding of this mystery in the hearts of those who have inherited the tremendous grief of Hussein’s slaughter by the ignorance of pseudo-humans.

Many of Muslim and even non-Muslim scholars consider Imam Hussein (AS) as the cause of unity of Muslims and free-spirited people. Among Muslims, love of Imam Hussein is not limited to the Shias. Sunni Muslims also revere him as the grandson of the Prophet and consider his killers as the most despicable and corrupt persons. Yazid son of Mu’awia was the evil incarnate. He not only committed the gravest oppressions against the Prophet’s household but he murdered many of the companions of the Prophet in Medina and had the women of Muslims of the city mass-raped by his hordes. A radio program is too brief to deal with the crimes of Yazid. Imam Hussein staged his revolution against such a licentious person who had decided to obliterate Islam. Thus, the love of Imam Hussein (AS) is the focal point of unity of the Islamic Ummah from every denomination.

A short look at the ayahs of the Holy Qur’an and the hadith related from the Prophet and infallible Imams (Blessings of God upon them) indicates the extent of emphasis on unity among Muslims. The Holy Qur’an even recommends Muslims to stress commonalities with the followers of other divine religions to avoid rift and discord. Ayatollah Allama Kashef al-Ghita, one of the acclaimed ulema of the 13^th century AH, wrote that: Islam has been established on two words, namely, the belief in God’s oneness and the unity of the Islamic Ummah. It is said in Surah Al-e Imran of the Holy Qur’an, “Do not be like those who became divided and differed after manifest signs had come to them. For such there will be a great punishment.”

Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) also said, “No Ummah was divided after its prophet but the group of falsehood overcame the righteous group.”

One of the blessings of unity among Muslims and even the true believers of other divine religions is that the human talents and potentials thrive in the light of security and calm resulted from the unity. But discord has been likened to a fire that burns the human finds and assets and eventually leads to the divine punishment.

A quick look at the results of unity among the Muslim Ummah with over 1.5 billion people proves the reason why the enemies of Islam have incessantly fanned the flames of disunity and rift among the ranks of the Ummah. Today, more than ever the Arrogant Front and the Zionists keep creating animosity and resentment among Muslims on the basis of flimsy excuses. Today, Muslims are suffering the pains of discord more than ever. Iraq. Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Nigeria and some other Islamic countries are experiencing bloody times and hundreds of thousands of women and children have been displaced from their homes and hearths. At a time when every hope had almost perished the luminous lamp of Imam Hussein cleft the curtains of darkness and a gigantic phenomenon was shaped on the axis of the apple of the Prophet’s eyes, Hussein (Peace upon him). An astounding miracle has occurred and put a great opportunity before the Islamic Ummah to be guided.

These days the greatest ever convergence of human beings is taking shape in Iraq. Approximately 40 million lovers of Ahl al-Bayt and seekers of truth and freedom have come together irrespective of colour of skin, language, social status, education, wealth, race and so on. The unique scenes of the participants in marching on foot toward Karbala shows that, in addition to Shias, many Sunnis and followers of other religions have taken part in this unrivalled event. While the enemies of Islam, led by the US and the spurious Zionist regime, try their best to strengthen terrorist groups through deceit and financial and arms supports, the Husseini magnet attracts pure hearts and turns differences into solidarity.

The roads leading to Karbala are witness to the steps of lovers of Imam Hussein (AS). Meanwhile, the main hosts of these pilgrims are the Iraqi villagers who bring whatever they have managed to prepare to serve the pilgrims. Even the Christians have set up a tent named Isa ibn Maryam to render services to the passersby. They say that Imam Hussein belongs to them, too. The caravans of Shias of Afghanistan and the Subcontinent have to cross Iran to join the ocean of Arbaeen. Here they are warmly welcomed and received by their hospitable Sunni brothers on the borders of Iran. To the chagrin of the Western- Zionist-led mainstream media and their hired myrmidons in the reactionary Arab regimes to thoroughly boycott this unmatched epic, the hearts of the free-spirited people are absorbed from all over the world and this is just part of the grand mystery of Hussein (AS).

It might be very astonishing and incredible to see some of the religious scholars and great figures of other creeds covering on foot the deserts of Iraq toward the mausoleum of Imam Hussein with tears in their eyes. But anybody who is a little familiar with Imam Hussein (AS) knows that it is just the Husseini absorption that can unite the current world of diverse ideas and ideologies round the divine goals and values. This epic gathering of human beings is an important capacity which can turn into the best opportunity to unite the world people to restore man’s real status and fill his spiritual vacuum resulting from decades and centuries of omitting the Creator of the world from his life.   

RM/ME