What happened on the day of Ashura?
By Louai
May Allah make our reward and your reward great, for our grief for Hussain, peace be on him.
On this tragic day, we reflect on the tragedies of Ashura. On the day when the whole of faith stood against the whole of disbelief. At dawn on this day; the tenth of Muharram, Imam Husayn prayed the Fajr –Dawn- Prayer, then gave a sermon and said, “God has permitted us to fight on this day. We have to be brave and fight.” The first to sacrifice their life on this day were the loyal companions of the imam. One of the Imam’s greatest companions Habib began to fight and killed sixty‐two soldiers before they wounded him with a spear. He fell down and his head was cut off. When the Imam saw this, he said, “To God, I will take the case.” After Habib, Hurr al‐Riyahi went to fight. By now, no one was left but the Imam’s family. The first one to stand up from his family was Ali al-Akbar at 27. It was very hard for the Imam to let him go to the battlefield, for he resembled the prophet in his speech and features. He attacked his enemies while reciting this poetry. “I am ′Ali son of Husayn son of ′Ali We are closer to the Prophet than any Indeed, Ibn Ziyad does not rule over us I will fight to protect my father. The fighting of a Qurayshi and Hashemi.”
Then the Imam’s nephew Qasim fought until he was killed. He was below the age of maturity! When Abbas saw the situation, he gathered his brothers; Abdullah, Uthman, and Ja′far, and all of them decided to fight before him. Then, when Abbas came and asked permission to fight, the Imam said, “Instead of fighting, go and bring some water for the children.” As he was going to retrieve water, he heard the cries of Bani Hashim saying al Atash (the thirst). He was surrounded by 4000 soldiers and shot by many arrows. The Imam immediately rushed to him and said, “Now my back is broken and I have no choice!” The Imam did not take the body with the others. He left it there and left alone, crying, wiping his tears with his sleeve, and saying, “Is there not anyone to help us? Is there not anyone to give us shelter? Is there not anyone who fears the Fire of God?” Until none were left to protect Imam Hussain.
He approached the army and saved the religion of Islam on that day. Shimr sat on the chest of the one who was placed on the chest of the Holy Prophet! Imam Ali ibn el Hussain and the rest of the woman of the Imam’s camp grieved their hearts out on that day. We should have empathy with Zainab(as) on this day. Imagine hearing the bones of your brother crushing beneath the cursed hooves of the people of Yazid’s army. They then took the women to Kufa where Ziyads palace was. They were then paraded to Sham where they were ridiculed. Rocks and boiling water were spilled on them that day. The daughters of Rasul Allah! The sons of adultery were now claiming to have the right of the caliph of the Muslim ummah.
May Allah help the heart of Imam al Mahdi on this day. And only Allah knows how the woman of Karbala survived this tragedy. But never will it be considered a defeat from the Imams’ part; rather it was the revival of the Quran and Sunnah of the prophet!
Imam Hussain is far from dead. He is alive in the hearts of millions of Shias around the world today.
Peace be upon the family of the Prophet. And May Allah send blessings to The master of the Martyrs.
On this tragic day, we reflect on the tragedies of Ashura. On the day when the whole of faith stood against the whole of disbelief. At dawn on this day; the tenth of Muharram, Imam Husayn prayed the Fajr –Dawn- Prayer, then gave a sermon and said, “God has permitted us to fight on this day. We have to be brave and fight.” The first to sacrifice their life on this day were the loyal companions of the imam. One of the Imam’s greatest companions Habib began to fight and killed sixty‐two soldiers before they wounded him with a spear. He fell down and his head was cut off. When the Imam saw this, he said, “To God, I will take the case.” After Habib, Hurr al‐Riyahi went to fight. By now, no one was left but the Imam’s family. The first one to stand up from his family was Ali al-Akbar at 27. It was very hard for the Imam to let him go to the battlefield, for he resembled the prophet in his speech and features. He attacked his enemies while reciting this poetry. “I am ′Ali son of Husayn son of ′Ali We are closer to the Prophet than any Indeed, Ibn Ziyad does not rule over us I will fight to protect my father. The fighting of a Qurayshi and Hashemi.”
Then the Imam’s nephew Qasim fought until he was killed. He was below the age of maturity! When Abbas saw the situation, he gathered his brothers; Abdullah, Uthman, and Ja′far, and all of them decided to fight before him. Then, when Abbas came and asked permission to fight, the Imam said, “Instead of fighting, go and bring some water for the children.” As he was going to retrieve water, he heard the cries of Bani Hashim saying al Atash (the thirst). He was surrounded by 4000 soldiers and shot by many arrows. The Imam immediately rushed to him and said, “Now my back is broken and I have no choice!” The Imam did not take the body with the others. He left it there and left alone, crying, wiping his tears with his sleeve, and saying, “Is there not anyone to help us? Is there not anyone to give us shelter? Is there not anyone who fears the Fire of God?” Until none were left to protect Imam Hussain.
He approached the army and saved the religion of Islam on that day. Shimr sat on the chest of the one who was placed on the chest of the Holy Prophet! Imam Ali ibn el Hussain and the rest of the woman of the Imam’s camp grieved their hearts out on that day. We should have empathy with Zainab(as) on this day. Imagine hearing the bones of your brother crushing beneath the cursed hooves of the people of Yazid’s army. They then took the women to Kufa where Ziyads palace was. They were then paraded to Sham where they were ridiculed. Rocks and boiling water were spilled on them that day. The daughters of Rasul Allah! The sons of adultery were now claiming to have the right of the caliph of the Muslim ummah.
May Allah help the heart of Imam al Mahdi on this day. And only Allah knows how the woman of Karbala survived this tragedy. But never will it be considered a defeat from the Imams’ part; rather it was the revival of the Quran and Sunnah of the prophet!
Imam Hussain is far from dead. He is alive in the hearts of millions of Shias around the world today.
Peace be upon the family of the Prophet. And May Allah send blessings to The master of the Martyrs.
