Mehreen Nazerali-Versi (Arusha, Tanzania) is a published author, an avid reader, and a poet. She wrote her book; Spectrum of Happiness when she was 18 and published it a few years later. She writes articles covering several subject areas and edits content both of academic and non-academic nature. She aims to build a community of critical readers who can read, question, and reason with content beyond what it says as plain text.
Lessons of integrity, patience, and purpose
I
s Karbala a place? An event? An incident? An emotion? A sacrifice? Karbala is truly difficult to explain, fathom, and digest. It is one of the most important, tragic and beautiful events of Islam. By beautiful, I do not mean that it was right in any way; however, it implies that the lessons, behaviours and etiquette displayed despite the atrocities and hardships were impeccable. It also draws meaning from a powerful statement made by Bibi Zainab (a.s.), “I saw nothing but beauty”.
This statement was said over 1400 years ago and it echoes in every part of try world till today! Every year when the moon is sighted, the mosques are turned into mourning centers with their appearance of black clothes and Hussaini sayings. The Alams stand tall and one which every eye looks for is the Alam of Hazart Abbas (a.s), the flag bearer of this noble and pure clan. We go to the mosque and shed tears every day, but what happens after the 12 days? Everything is quiet.
Karbala did not happen over 12 days, it started from the death of the Holy Prophet and still went on as the ladies of the Holy Household were taken captive. Each day after the day of Ashura has its significance and pain, a lot of which we do not know. Imagine a little girl locked up in a dungeon waiting eagerly to go home, only for that same dungeon to become her resting place.
Each individual in Karbala teaches us volumes of lessons. From the six month old baby to Imam Hussain (a.s). He had people of all ages with him because you don’t just have to be strong, you need to understand what is right from wrong. Then whether its a six month old who threw himself out of his cradle on the cries of Hal min nasirin yansurna or whether it is the young youth who famously said that death is sweeter than honey. How many of us can do this today? With the ongoing situation, the simplest act for us is to do a boycott, but what is our excuse? An endless list of products we feel we can’t live without or that we feel what can I do alone? From Karbala the most basic lesson we can derive is that even alone, we have the power to do so much. The army of Imam Hussain (a.s) were a mere 72 people which included some very old people and some too young, yet they live on even after being martyred. While Yazid had an army of thousands who eventually lost despite having the best weapons and energy at the time.
What was the purpose behind this battle? Yes, we are meant to cry over the tragedy of Imam Hussain as it is a great means of salvation for us. But did He give his life and sacrifice so much only for us to cry? If we recall, during his last farewell, Imam Hussain (a.s) asked his sister to always remember him in Namaz e Shab. He prayed namaz even being severely wounded andbroken with sorrow, while this is something we take so lightly. Do we realize that the Imam gave up everything just to save this perfect religion. It is our responsibility towards our Imam to uphold these principles of Islam. Bibi Zainab (a.s) had to lose her hijab for us to have ours and yet we disrespect it so much. The children of the Holy household were thirsty for days while we waste so much and are not at all grateful for what we have. It is only a matter of sitting and pondering. The immense blessings we have, many do not. Always be content with what you have.
And finally, Karbala is another name for patience. Carrying a body of your loved one breaks you so much, but carrying 72 bodies in one afternoon? That is something beyond what you and I can do. And yet with every body Imam Hussain reached and carried, he submitted to the will of Allah.
Carrying the body of his six month old when the skies and the earth denied the pure blood, he kept it on himself and asked Allah to accept his sacrifice. He gave up his own life being slaughtered and trampled brutally. He gave the women of his house, all who also demonstrated so much patience and courage. Bibi Zainab (a.s) is the reason we know about Karbala. She is the reason we attend majlis at our centers. So be grateful to have the opportunity to be part of such a pure gathering. It is said that angels come down and when they return, the scent they give out is so beautiful. This comes from majlis of Imam Hussain (a.s). It is also said that Bibi Fatema (a.s) attends all the majlis of her son and gives prayers to those who cry over him. It is our duty to respect these gatherings and act in accordance.
Karbala was not just an event, it is a school of lessons that we need to unfold one at a time. Learn from each member present in this battle for now it is our time to answer to Imam Hussain (a.s)’s call. The world is full of injustice and tyranny. What can I do? What part can I play?
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Mehreen Nazerali-Versi (Arusha, Tanzania) is a published author, an avid reader, and a poet. She wrote her book; Spectrum of Happiness when she was 18 and published it a few years later. She writes articles covering several subject areas and edits content both of academic and non-academic nature. She aims to build a community of critical readers who can read, question, and reason with content beyond what it says as plain text.
