We are already in the month of Muharram.
It is interesting that neither the birth/death date, nor the day the Prophet Muhammed was blessed with first revelation was chosen as the date of reference point for the Islamic calender.
Instead the reference point for the Islamic
calendar was chosen to be the Hijrah – the incident of the migration of the Muslims from
Makkah to Madina.
It is a central historical event of early Islam that led
to the foundation of the first the place where Islam was implemented on all levels, a turning point in Islamic
and world history.
When Muharram arrives we all cite the importance of ashoora and fasting on it, we also recall how Moosa a.s was given victory over tyrant Phirawn on this day.
We remember the tragedy of Karbala and the heroic lessons from Hazrat Hussain r.a, how he (r.a) stood against oppression and injustice.
We all claim to love him but do we really, this should be an honest introspection we need to go for, apart from naming our kid’s name after him or narrating them some stories especially when Muharram comes?
Sadly, the truth is our love is nothing but a rheotric, we say we love him but we ally with today’s oppressors.
Has Hussain r.a been physically amongst us in this time, he wouldn’t have taken the action which Iran has taken, by sending his allies and troops to help the tyrant Bashar Al Assad killing hundreds and thousands of innocents in Syria, nor Hussain r.a would have taken the step taken by “Saudia” to attack Yemen in the interests of man made national boundaries, which has no say and no care for the rest of the subjects across who are suffering.
And he (r.a) would not have sit silent either, watching as mere spectators, without raising his voice against injustice.
So, yes we all claim we love him but do we really?
Yes, Muharram is special as it highlights the significance of drowning of tyrant Phirawn
and the victory of Moosa a.s and the absolute stand of Hussain r.a against the tyranny, and the lesson that – though he didn’t apparently get the victory over the injustice but then too he is the victorious one as he got martyrdom for His sake and martyrs never die in His sight, not in His slave’s heart, they live as heroes in the hearts and minds of the generations after, another lesson for us that not necessarily every true hero who stand against injustice will get the apparent victory over the tyrant then and there only, but it always inspire others to take a stand and this in itself is more than enough.
So, to express and claim love is one thing, to stand and abide by the expressed thing is another thing!
To say we love him (r.a) is easy, to stand against injustice irrespective of who the perpetrators are, is another thing!
May Allah swt bless us all and keep us steadfast on His Deen.
May this new Islamic year be the ease for the hardships we all have been enduring collectively.
May we live and die as heroes and may the ummah find relief from the tyranny which is on its peak.
Ameen.