IMAM hussain

Name: Al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.)

Mother: Fatimah az-Zahra (a.s.), the daughter of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.).

Kunniyat (Patronymic): Abu 'Abdillah.

Laqab (Title): Al Sibt, Shahid-e-Karbala.

Birth: He was born in Madina in the month of Shaban in the year 4 A.H.

Martyrdom: He was martyred with his companions by the army of Yazid in the month of Muharram 61 A.H. His tomb is in Karbala, a town of Iraq.
    imam hussein
BIOGRAPHY
His Birth

Imam Hossein (PBUH) was born on the 3rd of Sha'ban, in 4th year of Hijrah inMedina. When the Prophet (PBUH) heard the news of Imam Hossein's birth, became very happy and came to the house of Fatima (PBUH). Asma, the maidservant ofFatima covered the child in a white cloth and brought him to the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet (PBUH) picked the child up in his lap and recited the Azaan in his right ear and iqamah in the left one. As if, apparently, he (PBUH) made the ears of his son familiar and acquainted with the name of God for the first time. On the seventh day of the birth, an angel came from the God and he said, "Just as Haroon was the brother, sympathizer, and helper in each and every difficulty of Moses (PBUH) similarly Ali (PBUH) is your sympathizer, helper and brother in each and every matter of yours. Therefore, keep the name of this child upon the name of Haroon's son "Shabeer," which translated into Arabic becomes 'Hossein'. Thus the name of the second child of Fatima (PBUH) was also selected by God.
His Life

Imam Husayn was Imam for a period of ten years, all but the last six months coinciding with the caliphate of Mu'awiyah. Imam Husayn lived under the most difficult outward conditions of suppression and persecution. This was due to the fact that, first of all, religious laws and regulations had lost much of their weight and credit, and the edicts of the Umayyad government had gained complete authority and power. Secondly, Mu'awiyah and his aides made use of every possible means to put aside and move out of the way the Household of the Prophet (sawas) and the Shi'ah, and thus obliterate the name of Ali and his family. And above all, Mu'awiyah wanted to strengthen the basis of the caliphate of his son, Yazid, who because of his lack of principles and scruples was opposed by a large group of Muslims. Therefore, in order to quell all opposition, Mu'awiyah had undertaken newer and more severe measures. By force and necessity Imam Husayn had to endure these days and to tolerate every kind of mental and spiritual agony and affliction from Mu'awiyah and his aides,until in the middle of the year 60 A.H. Mu'awiyah died and his son Yazid took his place.

Paying allegiance (bay'ah) was an old Arab practice which was carried out in important matters such as that of kingship and governorship. Those who were ruled, and especially the well known among them, would give their hand in alleging, agreement and obedience to their king or prince and in this way would show their support for his actions. Disagreement after allegiance was considered as disgrace and dishonour for a people and it was like breaking an agreement after having signed it officially, it was considered as a definite crime. Following the example of the Holy Prophet (sawas), people believed that allegiance, when given by free will and not through force, carried authority and weight.

Mu'awiyah had asked the well-known among the people to give their allegiance to Yazid, but had not imposed this request upon Imam Husayn. He had especially told Yazid in his last will that if Husayn refused to pay allegiance he should pass over it in silence and overlook the matter, for he had understood correctly the disastrous consequences which would follow if the issue were to be pressed. But because of his egoism and recklessness, Yazid neglected his father's advice and immediately after the death of his father ordered the governor of Medina either to force a pledge of allegiance from Imam Husayn or send his head to Damascus.

After the governor of Medina informed Imam Husayn of this demand, the Imam, in order to think over the question, asked for a delay and overnight started with his family toward Mecca. He sought refuge in the sanctuary of God which in Islam is the official place of refuge and security. This event occurred toward the end of the month of Rajab and the beginning of Sha'ban of 60 A.H. For nearly four months Imam Husayn stayed in Mecca in refuge. This news spread throughout the Islamic world. On the one hand many people who were tired of the iniquities of Mu'awiyah's rule and were even more dissatisfied when Yazid became caliph, corresponded with Imam Husayn and expressed their sympathy for him. On the other hand a flood of letters began to flow, especially from Iraq and particularly the city of Kufa, inviting the Imam to go to Iraq and accept the leadership of the populace there with the aim of beginning an uprising to overcome injustice and iniquity. Naturally such a situation was dangerous for Yazid.

The stay of Imam Husayn in Mecca continued until the season for pilgrimage when Muslims from all over the world poured in groups into Mecca in order to perform the rites of the hajj. The Imam discovered that some of the followers of Yazid had entered Mecca as pilgrims (hajjis) with the mission to kill the Imam during the rites of hajj with the arms they carried under their special pilgrimage dress (ihram). The Imam shortened the pilgrimage rites and decided to leave. Amidst the vast crowd of people he stood up and in a short speech announced that he was setting out for Iraq. In this short speech he also declared that he would be martyred and asked Muslims to help him in attaining the goal he had in view and to offer their lives in the path of God. The next day he set out with his family and a group of his companions for Iraq.

Imam Husayn was determined not to give his allegiance to Yazid and knew full well that he would be killed. He was aware that his death was inevitable in the face of the awesome military power of the Umayyads, supported as it was by corruption in certain sectors, spiritual decline, and lack of will power among the people, especially in Iraq. Some of the outstanding people of Mecca stood in the way of Imam Husayn and warned him of the danger of the move he was making. But he answered that he refused to pay allegiance and give his approval to a government of injustice and tyranny. He added that he knew that wherever he turned or went he would be killed. He would leave Mecca in order to preserve the respect for the house of God and not allow this respect to be destroyed by having his blood spilled there. While on the way to Kufa and still a few days' journey away from the city, he received news that the followers of Yazid in Kufa had put to death the representative of the Imam in that city and also one of the Imam's determined supporters who was a well-known man in Kufa. Their feet had been tied and they had been dragged through the streets. The city and its surroundings were placed under strict observation and countless soldiers of the enemy were awaiting him, There was no way open to him but to march ahead and to face death. It was-here that the Imam expressed his definitive determination to go ahead and be martyred; and so he continued on his journey.

Approximately seventy kilometres from Kufa, in a desert named Kerbala, the Imam and his entourage were surrounded by the army of Yazid. For eight days they stayed in this spot during which the circle narrowed and the number of the enemy's army increased. Finally the Imam, with his household and a small numbers of companions were encircled by an army of thirty thousand soldiers. During these days the Imam fortified his position and made a final selection of his companions. At night he called his companions and during a short speech stated that there was nothing ahead but death and martyrdom. He added that since the enemy was concerned only with his person he would free them from all obligations so that anyone who wished could escape in the darkness of the night and save his life. Then he ordered the lights to be turned out and most of his companions, who had joined him for their own advantage, dispersed. Only a handful of those who loved the truth--about forty of his close aides--and some of the Banu Hashim remained.

Once again the Imam assembled those who were left and put them to a test. He addressed his companions and Hashimite relatives, saying again that the enemy was concerned only with his person. Each could benefit from the darkness of the night and escape the danger. But this time the faithful companions of the Imam answered each in his own way that they would not deviate for a moment from the path of truth of which the Imam was the leader and would never leave him alone. They said they would defend his household to the last drop of their blood and as long as they could carry a sword.

On the ninth day of the month the last challenge to choose between "allegiance or war" was made by the enemy to the Imam. The Imam asked for a delay in order to worship overnight and became determined to enter battle on the next day.

On the tenth day of Muharram of the year 61/680 the Imam lined up before the enemy with his small band of followers, less than ninety persons consisting of forty of his companions, thirty some members of the army of the enemy that j joined him during the night and day of war, and his Hashimite family of children, brothers, nephews, nieces and cousins. That day they fought from morning until their final breath, the Imam, the young Hashimites and the companions were all martyred. Among those killed were two children of Imam Hasan, who were only thirteen and eleven years old; and a five-year-old child and a suckling baby of Imam Husayn.

The army of the enemy, after ending the war, plundered the haram of the Imam and burned his tents. They decapitated the bodies of the martyrs, denuded them and threw them to the ground without burial. Then they moved the members of the haram, all of whom were helpless women and girls, along with the heads of the martyrs, to Kufa. Among the prisoners there were three male members: a twenty-two year old son of Imam Husayn who was very ill and unable to move, namely Ali ibn Husayn, the fourth Imam; his four year old son, Muhammad ibn Ali, who became the fifth Imam; and finally Hasan Muthanna, the son of the second Imam who was also the son-in-law of Imam Husayn and who, having been wounded during the war, lay among the dead. They found him near death and through the intercession of one of the generals did not cut off his head. Rather, they took him with the prisoners to Kufa and from there to Damascus before Yazid. The event of Kerbala, the capture of the women and children of the Household of the Prophet (sawas), their being taken as prisoners from town to town and the speeches made by the daughter of Ali; Zaynab, and the fourth Imam who were among the prisoners, disgraced the Umayyads. Such abuse of the Household of the Prophet (sawas) annulled the propaganda which Mu'awiyah had carried out for years. The matter reached such proportions that Yazid in public disowned and condemned the actions of his agents.

The event of Kerbala was a major factor in the overthrow of Umayyad rule although its effect was delayed. It also strengthened the roots of The Followers of Ahlu Bayt. Among its immediate results were the revolts and rebellions combined with bloody wars which continued for twelve years. Among those who were instrumental in the death of the Imam not one was able to escape revenge and punishment. Anyone who studies closely the history of the life of Imam Husayn and Yazid and the conditions that prevailed at that time, and analyses this chapter of Islamic history, will have no doubt that in those circumstances there was no choice before Imam Husayn but to be killed. Swearing allegiance to Yazid would have meant publicly showing contempt for Islam, something which was not possible for the Imam, for Yazid not only showed no respect for Islam and its injunctions but also made a public demonstration of impudently, treading under foot its basis and its laws. Those before him, even if they opposed religious injunctions, always did so in the guise of religion, and at least formally respected religion. They took pride in being companions of the Holy Prophet (sawas) and the other religious figures in whom people believed. From this it can be concluded that the claim of some interpreters of these events is false when they say that the two brothers, Hasan and Husayn, had two different tastes and that one chose the way of peace and the other the way of war, so that one brother made peace with Mu'awiyah although he had an army of forty thousand while the other went to war against Yazid with an army of forty. For we see that this same Imam Husayn, who refused to pay allegiance to Yazid for one day, lived for ten years under the rule of Mu'awiyah, in the same manner as his brother who also had endured for ten years under Mu'awiyah, without opposing him.

It must be said in truth that if Imam Hasan or Imam Husayn had fought Mu'awiyah they would have been killed without there being the least benefit for Islam. Their deaths would have had no effect before the righteous appearing policy of Mu'awiyah, a competent politician who emphasised his being a companion of the Holy Prophet (sawas), the "scribe of the revelation," and "uncle of the faithful" and who used every stratagem possible to preserve a religious guise for his rule. Moreover, with his ability to set the stage to accomplish his desires he could have had them killed by their own people and then assumed a state of mourning and sought to revenge their blood, just as he sought to give the impression that he was avenging the killing of the third caliph.
Excellenes of Imam Hussain (as) in Ahadeeth

1. Hassan (as) and Hossein (as) are the leaders of the Youths of Paradise.

2. Hassan (as) is from me and I am from Hossein (as), Allah befriends those who befriend Hossein (PBUH) and He is the enemy of those who bear enmity to him.
3. Whoever wishes to see such a person who lives on earth but whose dignity is honored by the Heaven dwellers should see my grandson Hossein (as).

4. O my son! your flesh is my flesh and your blood is my blood, your are a leader, the son of a leader and the brother of a leader; your are a spiritual guide, the son of a spiritual guide and the brother of a spiritual guide; you are an Apostolical Imam, the son of an Apostolical Imam and the brother of an Apostolical Imam; your are the father of nine Imams, the ninth of whom would be the Oa"im (the last infallible spiritual guide).

5. The punishment inflicted on the murderer of Hossein (as) in Hell would be equal to half of the total punishment to be imposed on the entire sinners of the world.

6. When the Holy Prophet (as) informed Hazrat Fatima of the Martyrdom in store for his grandson, she burst into tears and asked, "O my father! When would my son be martyred?" "In such a critical moment," he replied," When neither I nor you, nor Ali would be alive. " This accentuated her grief and she inquired again," Who then, O my father, would commemorate Hossein"s martyrdom?" The Holy Prophet (as) said, "The men and the women of a particular sect of my followers, who will befriend my Ahl-ul-Bayt, will mourn for Hossein and commemorate his martyrdom each year in every century."
The Story of Imam Hussein

Every year on the 10th of Muharam the Shia Muslims all over the world commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. The commemoration start from the first day and the peak reached on the 10th day. Today is the first day of Muharam.




Food coked and given free. Pic: children offer fruits and food to the Coalition Forces

Imam Hussein is the grand son of Prophet Mohammad from his daughter Fatima and his cousin and son in law Ali Bin Abi Talib. Prophet Mohammad used to call him and his brother Hassan as his beloved sons. He is the one who chose their names after they born. They grow in the environment of Bano Hashem, the tribe of Mohammad and Ali. Unlike Bano Omaiyah, Bano Hashem rejects corruption, oppression and racial discrimination. Bano Omaiyah considers themselves above the others and the Arabs above the non Arabs. This discrimination reached its peak during the reign of Maawiyah Bin Abo Sofiyan and his son Yazid in Damascus in Syria. One of the major causes for Imam Hussein to reject the leadership of Maawiyah and Yazid is because of their corruption, oppression, slavery and injustice.

It is very difficult to elaborate about the history in details but will try to write very briefly about the main points.

After the death of Prophet Mohammad and before his burial a new era of struggle for power started. Al Insars who were the inhabitants of Madinah gathered in a place called Saqefat Bani Saiedah which is their community meeting place and selected among them Saad Bin Uobadah to be the leader. The Mohajreen who migrated with Prophet Mohammad the tribe of Koriesh heard this. They left the body of the Prophet and want to the same place. The two sides clashed and argued about who should be the leader. The scene was chaotic with threats from both sides. Ali and the family of Prophet haven't attended and have been ignored. Ali was adopted by Mohammad when he was a boy to help his uncle Abi Talib during economical crises. He was the son in law of the Prophet, his cousin, and brother by choice and the first one to embrace Islam after the prophet and his deputy at least according to many Muslims at that time. Ali was poor and he was disliked by the rich aristocrats of Qurishis.


The trees here is the site of Alskefa

The meeting resulted in taking allegiance to Abo Baker who was one of the Immigrants to Madenah. Some Muslims rejected and some asked to wait until Ali and the prophet kinsmen finished from his burial but the matter moved forward by some. That was a breakthrough point in the history of division in Islam.
Soon after this many Muslims refused to pay charity to Abo Baker and that was suppressed by force led by Khaled Bin Alwaled who killed the leader of the region Malek Bin Nowerah and married his beautiful wife on the same day!

Ali (the father of Hussein) hasn't submitted his allegiance until the death of Fatima 6 months later. At this time the power established well in the hands of Abo Baker and Omar and have he not doing so he may have been killed. Abo baker and Omar used Ali as a consultant for them. During the reign of Othman who is from Bano Omayiah there were a lot of unrest in Egypt and Iraq and other parts due to the oppressive and unjust behaviours of the local leaders. Othman appointed leaders among his family and some of them are arrogant to the people. The unrest resulted in surrounding Othman house and Ali tried to stop things but was unable so the revolted people killed Othman. This was a major point in the history of Islam. Here the division started to take a different shape.

Now Ali has been selected by the people to lead and he refused initially but the revolted people and others convinced him that they need his leadership now! He accepted but Muawyaih in Damascus who was the cousin of Othman refused that and entered into many wars with Ali. After the death of Ali (killed during prayer in Kuffa mosque), Maawiyah signed agreement with Ali's eldest Son Hassan to stop blood shade and the power will go to Al Hassan after him but Maawiyah killed Al Hassan by putting poison in his honey. He then forced every one to give allegiance to his son Yazid after him. After his death Yazid sent for Madenah to ask the people to recognize him as the leader. He instructed his army if any one refused to give allegiance to be killed and named Al Hussein as one of the most important people to start with.

Yazid was arrogant, oppressive, and unjust man. His messenger to Al Hussein in the governor of Al Madenah HQ asked Al Hussein after summoning him to submit his will to Yazid. Imam Hussein knew if he does so it means the end of the moral aspects in the religion and the acceptance of the slavery dictatorship of Yazid. He refused and asked the messenger to wait for a while. Imam Hussein then decided to leave with his family (wife, children, brothers and some others) to Iraq because he knew Yazid already planned to assassinate him. He took his family because if he leaves them Yazid will take them as captives. The followers of his father and grand father in Iraq have written to him before to go there and provide him with protection. He then made his mind and went from Madenah to Makkah then across the desert towards Kuffa.


AlHussein leaving the city of his grand father to Iraq


To Kuffa



Yazid arranged a huge army of 33,000 men very well equipped and appointed Oubiad Alla Bi Ziad as the governor of Kuffa. Bin Ziad was a known person for his arrogance, un-mercifulness, oppression, and every thing inhuman. He was governor on Basrah. Since his arrival to Kuffa worked in two ways, threat and killing and buying the people with money. He captured the messenger of Imam Hussein and his cousin Muslim Bin Akeel; beating him and throws him from the roof of the palace then crucified him with Hani Bin Urowa his hostess.


Yazid sent his strongest army while Bin Ziad sent an army to surround Imam Hussein and his family and prevent them from changing their direction until Yazid army arrives. Imam Hussein have just over 100 with him most of them among his family.They forced Imam Hussein and his family (the family of Prophet Mohammad) to retreat to Kerbala. Kerbala is two phrases word; ker means anguish and bala means vexation.

Imam Hussein debated with them that they are themselves send for him to come and tried to convince them that they are in actual fact surrounding the women and children of their Prophet but they refused to let him to go. They said that he has to submit completely his will to Bin Ziad and then Yazid or he will face his fate. He showed them more than 500 letters that they sent but they denied it!
After a long journey through the desert his children were thirsty as well as the women and the men. They prevent him from the Euphrates water. He got a 6 months old baby who was crying aggressively for water and he took him to the army asking for water just for this baby, instead they throw the baby with a dart which strike him on his neck and killed him instantly. Imam Hussein then took the blood of his baby in his hand and throw it to heaven asking God to witness what these people done to a baby belong to the family of their prophet.

On the 10th of Muharam around midday Yazid army attacked Imam Hussein camp. Imam Hussein first advised them saying that we are until now one nation but if the sword happened between us then we became two nations; you are one and we are different. From that time the practical division between Shias and Sunni manifest itself very clearly and widely. Shia means the supporters or followers of, and here it means the supporters of Ali and Ahil Al Biat which means the family of the Prophet Mohammad.

The night before the war Imam Hussein gathered his family and followers and told them that the army want him himself and so he told them you are free to go while it is dark but all of them refused. One of those who fought with him was a Christian young man called John.


Last moments before battle

In few hours they killed every one and when Imam Hussein remained alone he asked loudly if there is any one protects the family of the messenger of God! They attacked him and then racked him with the feet of their horses when he tumbled. They then cut his head and the heads of his brothers and followers and raise them on spears.
After this they attacked the women and put the tents in fire. The children escaped in all directions and the women tried to protect them. They beaten the children and women by the whips and ripped off their belonging. Then they took them as captives!!! Children and women!! Among them was Zainab the sister of Imam Hussein who witnessed the massacre of her sons, brothers, nephews and other relatives in the bloodiest way of barbaric killing.


Back without Hussein! Zainab asked; Oh horse, where is Hussein my beloved brother?


They cut the heads and left the bodies unburried!


Yazid army set fire in the camp and terrified women and children.




This is the present site where Imam Hussein killed and slaughtered

Bin Ziad looked to the head of Imam Hussein and start to strike his mouth with a cane, feeling the joy and happiness filling his sadistic inhuman personality. He then turned to humiliate the women of the family of Prophet Mohammad. Zainab then delivered a strong speech describing the magnitude of their crime. Bin Ziad ordered his guards to kill Ali the son of Hussein who was a young boy and haven't joined the battle because he was ill. Zainab throw her self over the boy and said if you want to kill him you have to kill me first before him. Bin Ziad withdraws his devilish wish after Zainab insistence.


The Tomb of the body of Al Hussein. The head buried in Cario!


The tomb of the martyrs who died with Hussein

The army then took the women and children on a camel caravan to Damascus. They passed many cities and villages. They told the people that those women and children are among foreigners who were out law and refused to submit to the Caliph Yazid. Fear and Terror producing strategy exactly like Saddam. They haven't told the truth that they are the prophet's family to prevent revolt.


Captives with chains to Bin Ziad.

Before they arrive to Damascus there was a Priest in his remote chapel he spotted the caravan from a distance and saw a light shining from the head of Hussein up to the sky. The Priest stopped them and asked them who is that head for? They refused to tell him. After he gave them money they told him that the head belongs to Al Hussein the son of Fatima the daughter of Prophet Mohammad. He got some money with him and asked them to take it and let the head with him for a while. They took the money and gave him the head. The Priest washed it and heard recitation of the holly Quran coming from the head!

In Damascus Yazid put them chained in a ruin before depart them to Madenah. Many of the children died from starvation, diseases and beating during this long journey. The little daughter of Imam Hussein while in the abandond ruin in Damascus start to cry and insisted to see her father. Zainab tried to please her but she never stopped crying. Then they brought the head and told her this is your father. She hugged the head and took a deep sigh and passed.


In the palace of the tyrant!

Imam Hussein remembered as a symbol of freedom and dignity against tyrant and slavery. Hussein never bowed to tyrant and oppressive regime of Yazid. This is why the similar tyrant like Saddam prevents the commemoration because of its symbolic state which rejects not only Yazid but every tyrant in history like Saddam. Ghandi the strongman of India said (I learnt from Hussein how I be tyrannized and achieve victory!). A woman who was mourning in Muharam has been asked about it. She said to mourn for a beloved one is a personal thing which will fade with time but to mourn for Imam Hussein is to mourn for the mankind which will never fade as far as there is tyranny and oppression and slavery.
Imam Hussein said; dignified death is better than humiliating life.

Many intellectuals wrote about Imam Hussein. Gerhard Konsilman a German journalist said that Yazid used to despise the people, salving and oppressing them and irresponsible sinful person. Imam Hussein by his realistic personality and death defeated the tyrant. His revolt was the ignition for the end of Umayyad density. Konsilman added that the dead Hussein was more dangerous on Yazid than the live Hussein. The martyrdom of Hussein in Kerbala remained the symbol for freedom, dignity and rejection of the tyrants.

There are some similarities between Jesus Christ and Hussein in that both of them rejected tyrant and wrongful and gave themselves in the way of freedom, salvation, dignity and righteous aspect of life. Their path is one and their salvation is by following their path of peace and justice. Before them Moses and Aaron defied the tyranny of Pharaoh and Aaron was deemed weak by his own people when Moses left to receive the Ten Commandments.