Salamun alaykum,
The moment of Epic:
With the tragic events of Azadari, especially the day of Ashura, still fresh in our mind there is need to reflect on that monumental moment, over thirteen hundred and eighty-three years ago, on the 10th day of Muharram 61 A.H. (680 C.E.) just before 'Asr prayer, when the beloved grandson of Noble Prophet, Imam Husayn a.s., stood on a sand-dune at Karbala and raised a call:
"Is there anyone who will come to assist us? Is there anyone who will respond to our call for help?"
What then was the response?
There were two types of responses displayed:
• The enemy soldiers of Umar bin S’ad increased beating of drums, cheering and jeering at the Imam wanting to complete their mission soonest.
• The six-month-old infant Ali Asghar lurching out of the cradle leading to his brutal martyrdom with a three-pronged arrow slitting his delicate neck.
Surely Imam Husayn a.s. was not expecting anyone there in Karbala to come to his aid since his close companions had already laid their lives in martyrdom. The previous night, in his address, Imam had freed his loved companions from their allegiance urging them to take advantage of the dark and leave him.
Why then the call by Imam Husayn a.s.?
To understand the necessity of this call one needs to check if the call was time and place bound to only 10th Muharram 61 A.H. and in Karbala.
Did the call end there?
The call did not end there. The life span of this call was neither restricted to the Day of Ashura in 61 A.H. nor to the land of Karbala as emphasized by the saying: Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala.
What is our response:
In our living we come across our own ‘Karbala moments’ that require us to choose between the ideals and values of Imam Husayn a.s. and the Yazidi deviations.
Are we conscious of the direction we need to take in responding to the call for support by Imam Husayn a.s.?
When we come across our ‘Karbala moments’ How do we respond?
Is our response sufficient to make us ‘Husayni’ ?
Will you sincerely respond Labbayk Ya Husayn; here I am O Husayn?
Make a smart choice.
Raise the Husayni alam- flag- high in your hearts. Labbayk Ya Husayn.
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah.
With salaams and duas,
Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat