Ashura: A lesson from Islam's history

Instinctively, we all admire the ‘good’ things in humankind – compassion, honesty and justice. Our free will to actively pursue such attributes through our actions is arguably what gives us our worth as human beings. But have you ever considered the lengths you go to in order to stand by what you believe is right? Would you die for the sake of freedom? Malcolm X once said: ‘If you’re not ready to die for it, take the word ‘freedom’ out of your vocabulary.’

One remarkable man has touched the lives of many, including Charles Dickens, Gandhi and Antoine Bara. Hussein! Born in 5th century Arabia, he was known for his tremendous generosity and kindness. Being the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), and the apple of his eye, he was a prominent and cherished figure amongst early Muslims. Yet, Hussein and his family were massacred in cold blood, on the day of Ashura, on the orders of, ironically enough, the Muslim Caliph of the time, Yazid I.

Why? Yazid was a tyrannical leader. He was known to rape, imprison and steal; he was swift to silence those who dared question his legitimacy as Caliph. Through propaganda and fear-mongering, he was able to assume power, and many people felt there was no choice but to accept him as leader. Hussein, on the other hand, was a man who believed in dignity and freedom; he refused to pay allegiance to Yazid, a person who had little respect for his fellow man. Despite the oppressive pressure mounted against him and the almost certain promise of being killed, Hussein remained defiant in his stance and famously said – ‘Death with dignity is better than life with humiliation.’

In the year 680AD, Hussein, his family, and 72 of his companions found themselves stranded on the desolate plains of Karbala (in modern day Iraq). They were surrounded by Yazid’s army of at least 5000 men, who had their water supply, the Euphrates River, cut-off. On the Caliph’s orders, a brief battle of several hours commenced, ending in the killing of Hussein, and all the men in his camp. The remaining women and children were taken as prisoners of war. Yet amongst all this carnage and destruction, a revolution had ignited. The words of Søren Kierkegaard could not be more relevant: “The tyrant dies and his rule is over; the martyr dies and his rule begins.”

The Battle of Karbala, in statistical terms, was hardly significant, but the story of Hussein’s sacrifice has inspired people for centuries. Hussein’s message is universal and ever-resonate, because it embodies liberation and renounces injustice. Mahatma Gandhi once said – ‘I learned from Hussein how to achieve victory whilst being oppressed.’ Today, several million people converge at Karbala to commemorate the day of Ashura. Undeterred by the very real threat of violence and terror, they come to relive and replay the message of a very distinct, free human being.

Imperial’s Ahlul-Bayt Islamic Society is holding its annual Ashura Awareness Week from the 12th – 17th December.