Day of resistance

The first ten days of Muharram are meant to be a period when Muslims, especially Shias, around the world mourn the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his small force that took on the larger army of Yazid. The mourning culminates on Ashura, the day Imam Hussain and most of his family were martyred after a valiant fight. In Pakistan, unfortunately over the years, the mourning has been accompanied by violence against the Shia community. As we mark Ashura today, regardless of sect or intricacies of belief, we remember the sheer heroism of Hazrat Imam Hussain and those who fought alongside him – including his sister Bibi Zainab. The battle of Karbala shows us what bravery is – in the heroism and martyrdom of Imam Hussain, and in the powerful address by Bibi Zainab.

People’s fight against oppression, injustice, brutality, and unimaginable horrors continues on. Even today in our country, mobs continue to kill others on the smallest pretext, without any good reason. As Muslims, our duty must be to come together and protect those who are oppressed or vulnerable. It is unfortunate that, instead, today all we hope for is that all goes well across the country, past attacks on Zuljanah processions a reminder of the cruel divisions that have turned people against people. This is more so why it is important to remember Imam Hussain’s courage and valour which has rarely if ever been equalled. When despair draws close, we must consider the stand Imam Hussain and his people took, proving that extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary measures. The stories told so poignantly at the majalis held across the country help people express pain that they must otherwise bear in a society which is indifferent and from which empathy has virtually vanished.

Amidst all the rituals of Muharram, each loaded with significance, there is a greater message that should have a global resonance. Imam Hussain was one of the first true historical revolutionaries, someone who stood against the shifting tide represented by Yazid, and refused to submit to his authority. Imam Hussain just wanted a turn away from bloodshed and expansionist war. This is why we see so many people from so many nations and even faiths revering Imam Hussain. He did not seek power for the sake of power itself but so he could bring about positive change in as peaceful a manner as possible against forces that were well-practised in the art of war. The story of Karbala shows that in the face of hatred and injustice, the only way forward is extraordinary bravery and strength of conviction – exemplified by Imam Hussain as a revolutionary who refused to compromise on his principles. At a time when the world stands starkly divided between the oppressor and the oppressed, we remember the resistance of Karbala.