Muharram’s Poignant Plea for Truth, Justice

Mar 2, 2004, 12.00am IST
Fayyaz S Pathan.

The moon of Muharram has been sighted. This is the beginning of the New Year of Muslims according to the tenements of Islam and the Shariat. This New Year reminds us of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of our Beloved Prophet.


According to Islamic history, there was a noted chieftain in the holy city of Mecca, Abde Munaf. Two twins were born to him, but they were Siamese twins with their backs joined by birth. The chieftain approached the wise men of the city for advice, and they said, “Now they are children, but when they grow up they will face problems.”

Munaf separated his children with his sword. One boy was named Hashim and the other Ummaiya. When they were separated, another chieftain watching the children crying bitterly, said, “God forbid! A sword has been used to separate the two brothers. God bless! It shouldn’t so happen that their family tree should keep fighting with swords.” Sadly, the last wish did not bear fruit. The two brothers quarrelled over marrying a girl both liked. While their swords flashed, the girl married someone else. Their quarrel ended but their enmity did not disappear. They, too, married and each had a son. Hashim named his son Abdul Mutalib and Ummaiya named his son Herb (war).

Abdul Mutalib and Ummaiya fought each other for years over a camel both wanted to buy. They went on to marry and had a son each. Abdul Mutalib named his son Abu Talib and Herb named his child Abu Sufiyaan. These two grew up to quarrel for years over a piece of land and a few date palm trees. They, too, married to have a son each. Abu Talib named his son Hazrat Ali, and Abu Sufiyaan’s son was Amir Mahaviya. These two clashed as well, and upon marriage were blessed with a son each. Hazrat Ali’s son was Hazrat-e-Imam Hussain and Amir Mahaviya son was Yazeed.

Hazrat Imam Hussain led a simple and noble life. He imbibed the teachings and way of life of the beloved Prophet Mohammed and his companions. But Yazeed was vicious by nature — greedy, power-hungry, wicked, hypocritical and cruel. He possessed all the dire qualities that force humanity to weep for justice. Any voice or a mere whisper against Yazeed would result in a death sentence. Yazeed only sought to crown himself as ruler by hook or by crook.

Tragically, he brought about the death of the grandson of the beloved Prophet Mohammed and other companions of the Holy Prophet who attained martyrdom with Hazrat Imam Hussain. Yazeed was a bane on Islam and a blot on Muslims. The holy shrine of Karbala is a memory to Hazrat Imam Hussain’s martyrdom and Yazeed’s treachery. The martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain teaches us truth and fearlessness in the pursuit of justice.

In this New Year there are lessons to be learnt about justice. It is also important to guard against lust for power. A Muslim is duty-bound to learn lessons from the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain. The message of Muharram is of great contemporary relevance in a society riven by greed, dishonesty, hunger for power and hate. Muharram is a lament against strife and pettiness; surely its relevance cannot be lost in a world that remains as strife-torn and narrow as the dark days that preceded the arrival of the Holy Prophet. Men in all walks of life fall prey to the pursuit of power, greed and money.

The restraint, wisdom and courage embodied in the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain should not be lost on a materialistic society such as ours. We may not know what is joy from the depths of our soul, if we lack the honesty and character to grieve the loss of all that is true and worthy in existence.