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Master of Appreciation!

Master of Appreciation!

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In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Master of Appreciation
 

Appreciation is a Hussein-like tradition. These are virtues of Hussein, caressing the good (people), appreciating the good (acts), and valuing acts of love and honesty. 

In a battlefield where thirst has sucked up every drop of the lives, it was Hussein (PBUH) whom despite all his wounds and losses, and the tears and pains of his family does not forget the efforts of his devoted companions. 

From the start of battle up until the bloody heart of war, Hussein (PBUH) rushes to the fallen bodies of his companions, to be with them at the time of departure with kindness and smile as they leave to meet their Beloved.  What is sweeter than when a person departs this world in the arms of their master, their Imam, as he proudly smiles at them?

The martyrdom of Ali Akbar (PBUH) is a painful wound of Ashura on the thirsty body of the Imam.  He resembles the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HP) in appearance, manners, truthfulness, and behavior.  In his second battle he fell to the ground of Karbala with a split head.  The Imam came to his body, and in a trembled voice filled with grief he said, “After you, may dirt be upon this world!”1

Another martyr whom the Imam came to his body on foot as the martyr had fallen was the brave water-bearer of Karbala, Abalfazl al-Abbas (PBUH); the handless water-bearer of Ashura, with his torn to pieces water-pouch and his blood mixed with the reminder of water, had fell beside the Euphrates River.  The Imam kneeled and with eyes full of tears and voice full of tremble recited, “And now my back has broken, and my choices have reduced to few!”2

For the Imam (PBUH) there is no difference between his family, friends, or servant; they are all worthy of appreciation and praise.  He treats them all as he does his son, lowering his face to their faces. 

Hurr is the victor repentance.  He was the first to close the path on the caravan of the Master of Martyrs (PBUH), disallowing them from continuing on their path.  On the day of Ashura, he went from the enemy’s line to the line of the Imam.  And as he was dying, the Imam came to his side, held his spit head in his arms and caressed his forehead so that he doesn’t feel embarrassed from the Imam.  And he said to him, “You are free, just as your mother has named you.”3 With wings filled with the love of the Imam, Hurr left this world to a divine heavenly destination. 

Juwn, the black servant of the Imam is the other martyr whom the Imam approached his fallen body on Ashura.  Blood had covered his face.  He had asked the Imam to pray for him to attain a beautiful and glowing face.  The Imam prayed for him, “O Allah beautify his face, and make his scent delightful….”4

The Imam appreciated his other companions as well, when he told them, “I do not know any one more loyal than you.”5,6 In another place he compares them to sturdy mountains and rocks.  And in the night of Ashura he shows them an epiphany of paradise.7 Yes.  The tradition of Hussein (PBUH) was one of appreciation. 

And woe onto the last moments of the Imam; the moment in which wolves attacked the unmoving body of the son of the Prophet (PBUH&HP), using their stones and spears on his holy body.  The loneliness of the Imam is unbelievable.  Shimr, exits the ditch of murder with his body shaking.  Moments later the head of the Imam is on a spear. 

“Peace be upon him whom his aorta was cut; peace be upon the lonely defender; peace be upon the blood covered face…”8,9

Selection taken from the book Hussein (PBUH), the Imam of Virtue and Beauty by Mohammad Reza Sangari (with minor changes)

Quran and Etrat Online University offers its condolences to all Muslims across the world, especially you dear friend, upon the arrival of Ashura, the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs, the oppressed of the ground of Karbala, Imam Hussain (PBUH), and his respected companions.

 Extracurcular Team of Quran and Etrat Online University!

Footnotes:

1. Manaqib Ibn Shahr Ashub, vol. 4, p. 109

2. Tasliat alMajaalis wa Zinat alMajaalis, vol. 2, p. 310

3. Luhuf, pg. 44

4. Tasliat alMajaalis wa Zinat alMajaalis, vol. 2, p. 293

5. Irshaad, vol. 2, pg. 91

6. The narration by Imam Hussein (PBUH) about the Imam being infallible and having divine knowledge is to say that there have not been companions as loyal as his companions. 

7. Al-Jara’ij, vol. 2, p. 847

8. Section of Ziarat Nahiya; Mazar Kabir, p.499
9. Hussein (PBUH) was someone who full-heartedly sacrificed anything/anyone he had, all from his companions, brothers, son (even his baby boy), in the way of Allah.  And Allah, as a way to show his satisfaction with the act of the Imam, showered the utmost special blessings upon him, “Truly Allah placed four characteristics as a reward for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH): the power of healing placed in his Turbat (pure dirt from Karbala), the answering of prayer under his dome, the Imams after him are his direct descendants, and the time his pilgrims spend for him is not considered as part of their lives,” (Amali Sheikh Tousi, p.318).

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Yazid Meets al-Sajjad (‘a)

Yazid turned to al-Sajjad (‘a) and asked him, “How did you, ‘Ali, see what Allah did to your father, al-Husayn?” “I saw,” answered al-Sajjad (‘a), “what Allah, the One and Only God, the most Exalted One, had decreed before creating the heavens and the earth.” Yazid consulted those around him as to what to do with al-Sajjad (‘a), and they advised him to kill him.

Imam al-Sajjad, Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a), said, “O Yazid! These men have advised you to do the opposite of what Pharaoh's courtiers had advised Pharaoh saying: ‘Grant him and his brother a respite.' The ad’iya’13 do not kill the prophets' sons and grandsons.” This statement caused Yazid to lower his head and contemplate for a good while.14
 
Among the dialogue that went on between both men is Yazid quoting this Qur’anic verse to ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn (‘a):

“Whatever misfortune befalls you is due to what your hands commit” (Qur’an, 45:22).

‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn (‘a) responded by saying, “This verse was not revealed in reference to us. What was revealed in reference to us was this verse:

‘Whatever misfortune befalls the earth or your own selves is already in a Book even before we cause it to happen; this is easy for Allah, so that you may not grieve about what you missed nor feel elated on account of what you receive' (Qur’an, 57:23). 15

We do not grieve over what we missed nor feel elated on account of what we receive.”16 Yazid then cited the following verse by al-Fadl Ibn al-’Abbas Ibn ‘Utbah:
 

Wait, O cousins, wait, O masters, do not hurry!
Do not bring to surface what we did bury.17

Al-Sajjad (‘a) sought permission to speak. “Yes,” said Yazid, “provided you do not utter verbal attacks.” He (‘a) said, “I am now standing like one who ought not verbally attack anyone, but tell me: How do you think the Messenger of Allah (S) would have felt had he seen me looking like this?” Yazid ordered him to be untied.18
 
Yazid ordered the person who used to recite the Friday khutba to ascend the pulpit and to insult ‘Ali and al-Husayn (‘a), which he did. Al-Sajjad (‘a) shouted at him saying, “You have traded the pleasure of the creature for the Wrath of the Creator, so take your place in the fire [of hell].”19
 

Should you on the pulpits publicly taunt him on demand,
While through his sword did these very pulpits stand?!

 
He asked Yazid saying, “Do you permit me to ascend this pulpit to deliver a speech that will please Allah Almighty and that will bring good rewards for these folks?” Yazid refused, but people kept pleading to him to yield, yet he was still relentless.

His son, Mu’awiyah II, said to him, “Permit him; what harm can his words cause?” Yazid said, “These are people who have inherited knowledge and oratory20 and are spoon-fed with knowledge.”21 They kept pressuring him till he agreed.
 
The Imam (‘a) said:

“All Praise is due to Allah for Whom there is no beginning, the ever-Lasting for Whom there is no end, the First for Whom there is no starting point, the Last for Whom there is no ending point, the One Who remains after all beings no longer exist. He measured the nights and the days.

He divided them into parts; so, Blessed is Allah, the King, the all-Knowing... O people! We were granted six things and favoured with seven: We were granted knowledge, clemency, leniency, fluency, courage, and love for us in the hearts of the believers.

And we were favoured by the fact that from among us came a Prophet, a Siddiq, a Tayyar, a Lion of Allah and of His Prophet (S), and both Masters of the Youths of Paradise from among this nation. O people! Whoever recognizes me knows me, and whoever does not recognize me, let me tell him who I am and to what family I belong: O people! I am the son of Mecca and Mina; I am the son of Zamzam and al-Safa; I am the son of the one who carried the rukn on his mantle; I am the son of the best man who ever put on clothes and who ever made tawaf and sa’i, of whoever offered the Hajj and pronounced the talbiya.

I am the son of the one who was transported on the buraq and who was taken by Gabriel to sidrat al-muntaha, so he was near his Lord like the throw of a bow or closer still. I am the son of the one who led the angels of the heavens in the prayers.

I am the son to whom the Mighty One revealed what He revealed. I am the son of the one who defended the Messenger of Allah (S) at Badr and Hunayn and never disbelieved in Allah not even as much as the twinkling of an eye.

I am the son of the best of the believers and of the heir of the prophets, of the leader of the Muslims and the noor of those who offer jihad and the killer of the renegades and those who deviated from the straight path and who scattered the ahzab and the most courageous one, the one with the firmest determination: such is the father of the grandsons of the Prophet (S), al-Hasan and al-Husayn (‘a), such is ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a).

I am the son of Fatima al-Zahra’ (‘a), the Head of all Women, the son of Khadija al-Kubra. I am the son of the one with whose blood the sand mixed. I am the son of the one who was slaughtered at Karbala’. I am the son of the one for whom the jinns wept in the dark and for whom the birds in the air cried”.
 
Having said this much, people's cries filled the place, and Yazid feared dissension, so he ordered themu'aththin to call the athan for the prayers. The latter shouted: Allahu Akbar! The Imam (‘a) said: “Allah is Greater, more Magnanimous, and more Kind than what I fear and of what I avoid.” The prayer caller now shouted: Ashadu an la ilaha illa-Allah! He (‘a) said, “Yes, I testify with everyone who testifies that there is no god besides Him nor any other Lord.” The caller shouted: Ashahadu anna Muhammadan rasul-Allah!

The Imam (‘a) said to the prayer caller, “I ask you, by Muhammad, to stop here till I speak to this man,” then he turned to Yazid and asked him, “Is this great Messenger of Allah (S) your grandfather or mine? If you say that he is yours, everyone present here, as well as all other people, will come to know that you are a liar.

And if you say that he is mine, then why did you kill my father unjustly and oppressively and plundered his wealth and took his women captive? Woe unto you on the Day of Judgment when my grandfather will be your opponent.”
 
Yazid yelled at the prayer caller to start the prayers immediately. A great deal of commotion now could be heard among the people. Some people prayed whereas others left.