When the prisoners from Kerbala were finally freed by Yezid, they asked for an opportunity to have rites of remembrance in Damascus. A house was made available to them and aza-e-Hussain went on for over a week. Just as Hadhrat Musa Kalimullah had been raised in the palace of the enemy of Allah, Firaun, Bibi Zainab laid the foundation of aza-e-Hussain in the very capital of his murderer!
On their return to Madina, Bibi Zainab took over the leadership of aza-e-Hussain in the city of the Holy Prophet. This aroused such strong emotions in the people and such revulsion against the oppressor that Amr ibne Said ibne al-Aas wrote to Yezid to have Bibi Zainab exiled from Madina. This was done in the beginning of 62 A.H. Bibi Zainab died shortly afterwards.
Both the 4th and 5th Imams greatly encouraged aza-e-Hussain. In their times aza-e-Hussain had to be performed in utmost secrecy as the regime was opposed to any remembrance of Kerbala. The poets who composed elegies and the devout Shias who attended the gatherings at which these elegies were recited did so at the risk of their lives.
Gradually, the institution of ziyarah came into being. People would visit the graves of the martyrs and there perform aza-e-Hussain. Our Imams wrote for them ziyarahs to be recited. One of these ziyarahs is recited today by us and is known as Ziyarat-e-Waritha.
When we examine Ziyarat-e-Waritha, we can see not only a testimony of the greatness of Imam Hussain and the moving sentiments describing his sacrifice for the cause of Allah, but also a solemn pledge and a commitment by the reciter:
"And I make Allah, His angels, His prophets, and His messengers, witnesses to the fact that I believe in Imam Hussain and in my return to Allah. I also believe in the laws of Allah and in the consequences of human actions. I have subordinated the desires of my heart to his (Imam Hussain’s) heart and I sincerely submit to him and promise to follow (his commands)"
Clearly, this undertaking was never meant by our Imams to be an empty ritual. Recitation of Ziyarat-e-Waritha is a commitment to Imam Hussain’s cause made in the presence of Allah and the angels and the prophets and the messengers and in full awareness of the final accountability of human action. One must always reflect upon the seriousness and solemnity of this pledge.
Until the time of ghaibat-e-kubra, we find that our Imams always encouraged aza-e-Hussain. They saw in aza-e-Hussain not only a demonstration of grief for Imam Hussain and the martyrs of Kerbala but also a renewal of one’s commitment to Allah and His laws as expounded in the Holy Qur’an and the ahadeeth.
We have records of the sayings of the representatives (Naibs) during ghaibat-e-Sughra explaining and encouraging aza-e-Hussain. From 329 AH onwards, the fuqaha and the ‘ulemas took it upon themselves to perpetuate the message of Kerbala.
Shaykh Ibne Babawayh-al-Qummi better known as Shaykh as-Suduq who died in 381 AH was the first scholar to have introduced prose as medium of conveying the message of Imam Hussain. He would sit on a pulpit and speak extempore while many of his students sat by the side of the pulpit and recorded the speech. His speeches have been preserved and to this day are known as the Amali (dictations) of Shaykh Suduq.
Public demonstration of grief first occurred in 351 A.H. On the 10th of Muharram, there was a spontaneous procession in the street of Baghdad and thousands of men, women and children came out chanting "Ya Hussain! Ya Hussain!" beating their chests and reciting elegies.
In the same year, a similar procession took place in Egypt. The regime tried its best to stem the tide of aza-e-Hussain but failed. Very soon aza-e-Hussain became an institution with deep roots in the hearts of Muslims. Majlis evolved into an institution for amr bil ma’ruf and nahya anal munkar as well as a reminder of the tragedy in Kerbala.
As Islam spread, different cultures adopted different modes of aza-e-Hussain. Taimur Lang introduced the institution of tabut and alam in India. As Islam spread southwards on the sub-Continent, the form underwent changes to take into account local cultural influences so as to portray the message of Kerbala in the medium best understood by the local people, both Muslims and non-Muslims.
By the beginning of the 19th Century, there was not a corner of the world, from Spain to Indo-China, which did not have some form of demonstration on the 10th of Muharram.The form varied from country to country. In Iran, the most popular form has been the holding of passion plays as a medium to transmit the message of Kerbala in addition to majaalis from the minabir.
In India, the Ashura processions became part of the Indian Muslim culture. Even the Hindus participated in these processions. The Maharajah of Gwalior was always seen walking behind the ‘alam of Hadhrat Abbas barefooted and without any insignia of his exalted office. Marthiyas and majaalis were such strong influences on the Muslim population that they helped strengthen not only their Islamic beliefs but also their political resolve.
History reports that even Gandhi on his famous salt march to protest against the oppression of the British Raj took 72 people with him in emulation of Imam Hussain protest against Yezid’s oppression.
"The memory of this great epic event (Ashura) must be kept alive. Remember, the cries of damnation and all the curses that are rightfully raised against the cruelty of the Bani Umayyayah caliphs towards the Holy Imams, are reflected in the heroic protests against cruel despots by the nations through the centuries. It is the perpetuation of such protests that shatter oppression and cruelty. It is necessary that the crimes of the tyrants in each age and era be indicated in the cries of lamentation and in the recitals of elegies held for the Holy Imams"
Wherever the Shias have gone they have taken with them the cultural forms of aza-e-Hussain as practised in their country of origin. Today, aza-e-Hussain can be seen around the world.
Aza-e-Hussain is an important institution and we have to ensure that it is kept alive so as to cultivate and nurture Islamic conscience in each one of us and that our children and their descendants remain committed to the cause of Imam Hussain.
Aza at personal level
We must never lose sight of the fact that while the form of aza-e-Hussain may reflect the local indigenous culture, the essence of aza-e-Hussain must always be remembrance of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and our re-dedication to his cause.
There is always the danger that if the form appears to be incongruent to the local norms and consequently incomprehensible to the young generation or to the indigenous population upon whom we wish to impress the message of Kerbala, the substance might gradually lose its significance. The fabric of the substance invariably depends upon the acceptability of the form.
Throughout history the form of aza-e-Hussain has always undergone changes to accommodate local norms. It is for us, therefore, to seriously re-evaluate the form in order to ensure that we can pass on to our children the substance of aza-e-Hussain in its pristine state and also make aza-e-Hussain an irresistible instrument of tableegh!
We are duty bound to Allah and His Prophet to ensure that our children grow up to accept aza-e-Hussain NOT as a ritualistic activity nor as means for atonement, but as a serious commitment to the basic values of Islam."
Dr. Liyakat Takim in his speech in Toronto on the occasion of the last Hussain Day made this very profound statement: "The message of Imam Hussain can only be properly comprehended when we bear in mind the Qur’anic principle of tawheed which demands our undivided commitment to Allah only."
I accept that not all of us can suddenly make or honour such a commitment. But supposing on the day of ‘Ashura, after performing our a’amaals or when the Ziyarah is recited after the aza, each one of us promises, in the name of Hussain ibne Ali, to give up one such activity as is contrary to the doctrines of Islam what a strong community we would be and what an excellent legacy we would leave for our children !
Processions are of course the institution effectively used in the countries of the East and in Africa. We have to convince ourselves that this institution can be equally effective in the West. If not, we must explore other means of taking Imam’s message to the people. We have to examine such activities as:
1.blood donation through Hussaini Blood Banks;
2.distribution of food to the needy;
3.maximum usage of media to explain the event and the fact the Holy Imam died to save the basic values cherished by all communities;
4.publication and distribution of leaflets;
5.distribution of cold drinks in schools and colleges;
6.visiting the patients in hospitals thereby carrying the message of Hussain to their families too.
All these suggestions are based on the institution of the public "sabeels" which we still have in the East and in Africa. While mourning is important, perhaps we should limit that within the confines of our Imambargahs, and demonstrate the true spirit of Imam Hussain’s generosity when he ordered Hadhrat Abbas to provide water to Hur and his army. Perhaps we too may see a large number moving towards Islam and Imam Hussain.
Exaggeration can only discredit us and the cause of Imam Hussain. The historical accounts must be adhered to although at times, in our anxiety to arouse emotion, we resort to exaggeration. We should have the recorded history as our guide and reason and logic as our limitations as do most of our ‘ulema and fuqaha.
Abu Mikhnaf was the earliest historian who took testimonies from eye witnesses and compiled his maqtal. There is in existence today an book in Arabic called Maqtal Abi Mikhnaf. It is doubtful whether this is the original text. However we do have the excerpts quoted by Tabari and other historians. We zakireen have relied on various sources principally Allamah Majlisi’s Biharul Anwar and others. Several very good books in English exist on this subject. Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi is the compiler of a book containing several very interesting articles relating to the history of the tragedy of Kerbala. Then there is Shaykh Mufid (a.r.)’s al Irshad.
Extrapolations of certain inferences from known facts are not, in my opinion or in the opinion of the ‘ulema, objectionable. For example description of natural human emotions, though not chronicled in vivid detail may be extrapolated if the description is within the bounds of reason and does not detract from the character of the personalities involved.
Some of the maqaatil can be faulted in respect of certain statements For example Tabari records that the age of Imam Zain-ul-’abideen (A.S.) was questioned at Kufa and he was examined to determine whether he had attained buloogh. (See the History of al Tabari, Vol. XIX page 166). Shaykh Mufid gives the fourth Imam’s age at the time as 23 years. It is well known the Imam was married and had a son .
Many such contradictions exist in the maqaatil but this does not mean that we have to categorically reject all accounts. Detailed events, and often the names of those involved, are very difficult to record accurately even by an honest and meticulous chronicler recording contemporaneously as the events are taking place. Abu Mikhnaf began to compile his history, mostly through eye witness accounts at least twenty five years after the tragedy. It is necessary for us to be eclectic for so long as we remain within the confines of reason. To be eclectic we must know what historical material is available and where to find it.
It is not within the scope of this article to deal with all the historical sources but I refer the reader to S.H.M, Jafri’s the Origins and Early Development of Shi’a Islam, Chapter 7. I also refer any reader interested in the subject to the following additional works:
1.The volume of Tabari referred to above.
2.Al-Irshad by Shaykh Mufid.
3.The article by Imam Hussain by Veccia Vaghliers in the Encyclopaedia of Islam in which is based mostly Balaadhuri’s account.
We can not perpetuate the illusion that aza-e-Hussain means no more than a few tears, matam and processions. These are the means and not the end. They are important only if they lead each of us towards becoming better Shias than we were in preceding years.
If we lose sight of the objectives we may find ourselves answerable for forgetting and holding to ridicule the cause for which our Imam sacrificed so much! Imam Hussain himself advised a muslim who claimed to be a Shia to fear Allah and not to make a false claim lest on the Day of Judgement he is raised with the liars. "Our Shia," the Imam added, "is the one whose heart is pure of malice, deception and corruption. His words and deeds are only for the pleasure of Allah."
When bidding farewell to Muharram and Safar we must pose this question to ourselves in all seriousness. Did wemake a commitment to Imam Hussain’s objectives or are we continuing complacently in our current state, paying what can best be described as lip service to his martyrdom with demonstrative mourning only ?
While I pray that we begin, as we must, to understand the philosophy of aza-e-Hussain and make a serious commitment to the objectives of the King of Martyrs, I sincerely hope that there never comes a day when majaalis are replaced by clinical lectures devoid of all emotion !
Reason when supported by emotion has a more enduring effect, and it is for this very end that as a recompense of the rationality of the message of the Holy Prophet he is told by Allah to ask for no recompense save the love of Ahlul Bayt. Love, while being an emotional force, becomes hypocrisy if one fails to identify and follow the wishes of the loved one.
May all our Muharrams be true demonstration of our love for, and a confluence of emotion, reason and commitment to, Imam Hussain.