Every day is Ashura/Every Land is Karbala

A wiki is preferable is so many matters since it plays it down the middle -
but seekshidayath did such an awesome comp job on one aspect of
ashura in another post that I thought to include this. It seems that really
the two observations of Ashura are totally unrelated except in name.

Copied from http://www.ashura.com/

What is Ashura ?

In the month of Muharram 61 AH (approx. 20 October 680 AD), an event
took place in Iraq at a place known as Kerbala on the bank of the river
Euphrates. It seemed in those days insignificant from the historical point
of view. A large army which had been mobilised by the Umayyad regime
besieged a group of persons numbering less than a hundred and put
them under pressure to pay allegiance to the Caliph of the time and
submit to his authority. The small group resisted and a severe battle took
place in which they were all killed.

It appeared at that time that like hundreds of similar events, this battle
would be recorded in history and forgotten in time. However, the events
that occurred on the 10th day of Muharram in Kerbala were to become a
beacon and an inspiration for future generations. In this article, we shall
examine briefly the principal adversaries.

Who is Hussain ?

The leader of the small band of men who were martyred in Kerbala was
none other than Husain (A), son of Ali bin Abi Talib (A) and grandson of
the Holy Prophet (S). Who was Husain? He was the son of Fatima (A) for
whom the Holy Prophet (S) said, "Husain is from me and I am from
Husain. May God love whoever loves Husain." [1]

With the passing away of his brother Hasan(A) in 50 AH, Husain (A)
became the leader of the household of the Holy Prophet (S). He respected
the agreement of peace signed by Hasan (A) and Muawiya, and, despite
the urging of his followers, he did not undertake any activity that
threatened the political status quo. Rather he continued with the
responsibility of looking after the religious needs of the people and was
recognised for his knowledge, piety and generosity. An example of the
depth of his perception can be seen in his beautiful du'a on the day of
Arafat, wherein he begins by explaining the qualities of Allah, saying:

" (Oh Allah) How could an argument be given about Your Existence by a
being whose total and complete existence is in need of you? When did
you ever disappear so that you might need an evidence and logic to lead
(the people) towards You? And when did You ever become away and
distant so that your signs and effects made the people get in touch with
you? Blind be the eye which does not see You (whereas) You are observing
him. What did the one who missed You find? And what does the one who
finds You lack? Certainly, the one who got pleased and inclined toward
other than You, came to nothingness (failed)."

On the other hand, we have Yazid, whose father (Muawiya) and
grandfather (Abu Sufyan - the arch-enemy of the Prophet) had always
tried to sabotage the mission of the Holy Prophet, and who showed his
true colour by stating in a poem, "Bani Hashim had staged a play to
obtain kingdom, there was neither any news from God nor any
revelation." [2]

Mas'udi writes that Yazid was a pleasure-seeking person, given to wine
drinking and playing with pets. It is no wonder that Husain's response to
Yazid's governor, when asked to pay allegiance to Yazid was, "We are the
household of the prophethood, the source of messengership, the
descending-place of the angels, through us Allah had began (showering
His favours) and with us He has perfected (His favours), whereas Yazid is
a sinful person, a drunkard, the killer of innocent people and one who
openly indulges in sinful acts. A person like me can never pledge
allegiance to a person like him ..." [3]

The revolution of Husain (A) was an Islamic movement spearheaded by
one of the great leaders of Islam. The principles and laws of Islam
demanded that Husain (A) act to warn the Ummah of the evil situation
which it was in, and to stand in the way of the deviating ruler. As Husain
(A) himself remarked when he left Madina for the last time, "I am not
rising (against Yazid) as an insolent or an arrogant person, or a mischief-
monger or tyrant. I have risen (against Yazid) as I seek to reform the
Ummah of my grandfather. I wish to bid the good and forbid the evil." [4]

Hussain (A) was killed on the battlefield as he did Sajdah. His head was
removed from his body on the plains of Kerbala, mounted on a spear, and
paraded through villages and towns as it was taken to Damascus and
presented at the feet of Yazid.

Why remember Ashura ?

Why is Husain (A) regarded as the "leader of the martyrs" ? It is because
he was not just the victim of an ambitious ruler. There is no doubt that
the tragedy of Kerbala, when ascribed to the killers, is a criminal and
terrible act. However when ascribed to Husain (A) himself, it represents a
conscious confrontation and a courageous resistance for a sacred cause.
The whole nation had failed to stand up to Yazid. They had succumbed to
his will, and deviation and regression towards the pre-Islamic ways were
increasing.

Passiveness by Husain (A) in this situation would have meant the end of
Islam as we know it. Thus Husain (A) took upon himself the responsibility
of the whole nation. The greatest tragedy was that one who stood up for
the noblest of causes, the defence of Islam, was cut down in so cruel a
manner.

It is for this reason that the sacrifice of Husain (A) is commemorated
annually throughout the Muslim world. Our sorrow never abates as we
relive the tragedy. As Allama Iqbal says in his Baqiyat (in Urdu):

Ronay wala hoon Shaheed-e-Kerbala key gham men main,
Kya durey maqsad na dengey Saqiye Kausar mujhey

I am one who weeps at the plight of the Martyr of Kerbala
Won't the reward be given to me by the Keeper of Kauser (Imam Ali (A))

The commemoration of Ashura on the 10th of Muharram every year
serves to remind us of the sacrifices of the family of the Prophet (S). It
also makes us aware of the people, then and now, who tried to destroy
Islam and the family of the Prophet (S) and all that they stood for - as well
as those who watched, listened and did nothing.

References:

[1] Ibn Majah: Sunan, Hadith 144.

[2] Ibn Jarir: Tarikhu'l Umam wa'l Muluk, vol.13, p.2174.

[3] Sayyid ibn Ta'us: Maqtalu'l Husain, pp.10-11

[4] Al-Khatid al-Khuwarazmi: Maqtalu'l Husain ,vol.1, p.88.

Peace...

...in fact, there was an exact answer in the original post as far a Shia
would be concerned.

But if there are any Shias on IC they would be better suited to continue
where I could only fail, barely knowing enough of the vast ocean which is
Islam.

The 'other people' (Shia) observe it devoutly for the reasons posted above
mentioned (and more...).

I wasn't qualifying one observance or the other by my paste-up job - just
thought I'd include the minority report.


****
"I doubt if these lines are of Allama Iqbal. Is it?"

seekshidayath, I wish I knew the correct answer to that - I saw that it is
posted several places including a wiki, but all have the same wording with
no variation (as well as no page numbers, etc.) Good cause for doubt.
There is his complete (urdu) Baqiyat online...


God help us...
J

As'salamualaikum,

Brother Jamal Morelli , to understand islam we need not first divide it into sects and know the views of each. Instead, we need to hold to the only rope as mentioned in the VERSE - and this rope is Quran and the hadith.

Coming to the Ashura- irrespective of shia or sunni , it was  a festival celebrated earlier - during the days of our prophet {Sallal lahu alaihi wa sallam} . Even today it is to be treated with the same intention, as mentioned in the hadith. Whereas today it is remembered only for the matyr of Hussain alai salaam. Being influenced by these people majority of the muslims especially in sub-continents introduced many bidahs on this day, which led to forget the importance of this day.

When we apply our sense here we question ourselves that why shud we cry on the death of a martyr. ? Anyways without goig deep into the topic {as it may create unnecessary arguments} , i would like to conclude that this secretarinism and hatred for eachother would give us nothing but a vey live example of todays burning Iraq. Lets try to grasp the real message of this day forgetting meaningless hatred.