Questions on Ashura (6)

One of the questions which may frequently flash in the minds of the lovers of Imam Hussein is that: What was the goal of the Imam from his martyrdom and captivity of the Prophet's progeny? Let us discuss this issue.

Some experts believe that the goal of Imam Hussein (AS) of staging an uprising was to overthrow the corrupt rule and set up a divine government on the basis of the Qur'an and the practice of the Prophet.

Now, here the point is that: If a person rises up to set up a government but there are barriers on his way that make it impossible to achieve his goal, it is rational to stop the uprising. Imam Hussein (AS), aware of the disloyalty of the people of Kufa while he was going to face a 30,000 strong troop of the enemy, was certain that he wouldn't be able to found the desired government. That's why when he faced the forces of Horr, he said, "O people! The Messenger of God said, 'Any Muslim who sees an oppressive ruler making permissible what God has forbidden, breaching the divine covenant, opposing the practice of the Prophet among God's servants, committing every sin and aggression; yet he doesn't oppose this ruler with word or deed, it is incumbent upon God to cast him in the same place that casts the ruler. O people! Beware, the Umayyads have abandoned God's obedience and considered as obligatory to follow the Satan, promote corruption and close the divine limits."

In the times of Imam Hussein (AS) and after the death of Muawiyah, his libertine son Yazid came to power. Yazid wouldn't observe Islamic behavior even in public. He would drink publicly and was shamelessly indulged in every sort of immoral act. He used to compose blasphemous poems against the Prophet and would glaringly contradict Islam. Such a debaucher was called the caliph (vicegerent) of the Prophet.

A close look at Imam Hussein's uprising helps us understand that the Imam pursued a divine goal and moved toward it. That divine goal was to bring back the society to the right path and renew the Islamic system and community. Marching to achieve this goal would yield one of the results of government or martyrdom. The Prophet's grandson Imam Hussein (AS) had set the preparations for both government and martyrdom. Now, if the Imam hadn't chosen the uprising, he would have been forced to either pay allegiance to Yazid or flee to a remote place. The latter was proposed by Mohammad ibn Hanafiya and Ibn Abbas.

The first way was practiced by Abdullah son of Umar. He had first prevented to pay allegiance but shortly after, he took the oath of allegiance which had no fruit but humility. The second way was chosen by Abdullah son of Zubair who had to finally take refuge in the holy Ka'ba. Thus instead of guarding the Ka'ba against catapults of the enemy he took Ka'ba as his shield. Hence, the House of God was damaged and Abdullah son of Zubair got perpetual humility and infamy.

These two historical events show that the way chosen by Imam Hussein resulted in dignity and good name for him in both this world and hereafter as it yielded humility and disrepute for his enemy.

Imam Hussein (AS) in his supplications before the uprising, would say to God, "My God! You know that what has been manifested from us is not for rivalry in power or accessing the worldly bounties, our goal is rather to bring back the signs of your religion to their place, to reform Your lands so that Your oppressed servants find safety and the obligations, practices and injunctions of Your religion are put into action."

The Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussein (AS), in a letter to a group of the noted figures of Basra, elaborates the goal of his uprising against the misrule of Yazid, "I call you to the Book of God and practice of His Prophet for the practice of the Prophet has been destroyed and innovations have been revived."

Elsewhere, he said, "When the Islamic Ummah is plagued by the like of Yazid as ruler, then farewell to Islam."

The point to note here is that Imam Hussein (AS) says, "the like of Yazid". That means that, not just in those days, but whenever a person with the characteristics of Yazid becomes the ruler of the Islamic society Muslims must stage uprising against him. He also said, "Don't you see that the truth is not practiced and falsehood is not prevented. In such conditions, a faithful should wish to die and meet his Lord."  

RM/ME