Muharram: Beyond Mourning

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) غریب و سادہ و رنگین ہے داستانِ حرم
نہایت اس کی حسینؑ، ابتدا ہے اسماعیلؑ
“The tale of the sanctuary is simple, humble, yet full of colour;
Its climax is Hussain (A.S.), its beginning is Ismail (A.S.).”

This couplet binds two sacred sacrifices, offered on the altars of Mina and Karbala. Both were acts of absolute surrender to the will of Allah: one father raised the knife in obedience, and one grandson walked into a storm to revive a fading truth.

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Iqbal further deepens the connection:

اللہ اللہ بائے بسمہ اللہ پدر
معنی ذبحِ عظیم آمد پسر
“Allah, Allah! The 'Bā' of Bismillah was the father;
The son became the meaning of the Great Sacrifice.”

Here, the“Ba” of Bismillah symbolises Imam Ali (A.S.), referring to his foundational role in Islamic knowledge, guidance, and guardianship.

This literary and spiritual metaphor views Hazrat Ali (A.S.) as the doorway to divine wisdom, just as“Ba” is the entry to the Qur'an.

Iqbal suggests that the “ Great Sacrifice ” (Zibh-e-Azeem) is Imam Hussain (A.S.), uniting the trial of Ismail with the martyrdom at Karbala.

Why Did Imam Hussain Rise?

Imam Hussain (A.S.) did not rise against Yazid out of personal rivalry. He sought neither power nor position. His mission was Islah, moral reform. He declared:

“I did not rise out of arrogance, nor for corruption or oppression. I rose to seek reform in the nation of my grandfather. I want to enjoin good and forbid evil, and follow the path of my grandfather and my father.”
(Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 44, p. 329)

Grand Ayatollah Jawadi Amuli affirms,“From Imam Hussain's words and actions, it is clear that his purpose was to revive the true spirit of religion. He stood for Tawheed.”

Not only in speeches, but when Imam Hussain left Makkah on the Day of Arafah, he recited a du'a which is popularly known as Du'a-e- Arafah. This prayer shows the journey of love from the lover to the Beloved. Consider these lines:

“What has someone gained who lost You?
What has someone lost who found You?
Blind are the eyes that can see everything but cannot see You.”

The Battlefield of Love

Iqbal captures this divine longing with piercing clarity:

بہرِ حق در خاک و خون غلتیده است

پس بنا، ای لا إله، گردیده است
“For the sake of Truth, he rolled in dust and blood-
Thus, O 'La Ilaha', the foundation has been laid.”

This is no mere poetic metaphor, it's the spiritual essence of Karbala. Through the lens of Ishq-e-Haqiqi (divine love), martyrdom becomes a consummation of love between the Lover and the Beloved. Imam Hussain does not fall in defeat, he prostrates in love. His rolling in the dust is the ultimate sujūd (prostration), not of the body but of the soul.

In the second line-“Pas binā, ey Lā Ilāha, gardida ast”-Iqbal declares that the foundation of La Ilaha Illallah is laid not by tongue but by wound. Yazid symbolizes every false idol. Hussain destroys them all through the power of Ishq, rejecting every worldly attachment for the sake of Divine Unity.

In Sufi thought, true love demands annihilation of the self (fanā fīllāh). That is what Karbala teaches us: Imam Hussain's every breath, every step, every drop of blood cried out-“I am Yours, O Allah. To You I return. ”

The Heart of Karbala Was Tawheed

At the center of Hussain's sacrifice was not Hussain. It was Tawheed. He rose not to preserve lineage, but to defend La Ilaha Illallah. The banner of Karbala carried the message of Tawheed as well, not just his name. The center of Hussain's sacrifice in Karbala was to protect Tawheed.

What Does Muharram Ask of Us?

We attend majalis, raise flags, and recite elegies, but do we ask ourselves: What does Muharram want from us?
It is not a cultural ritual. It is a spiritual call. It asks us: to awaken basirat-inner vision; to respond to the cry:“Hal min nasir yansurna?” -“Is there anyone to help us?” andto uphold Tawheed, even at the cost of our lives.

Karbala is not history. It is legacy. Every time we remain silent before injustice, we crucify Hussain again.

The Transformation of Hurr

You've likely heard of Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi, a respected commander in Yazid's army. He was tasked with intercepting Imam Hussain and preventing him from reaching Kufa.

In the days before the battle, Hurr felt the weight of his conscience. He recognized the nobility of Imam Hussain's cause.

On the Day of Ashura, he was seen trembling. When asked why, he replied:“By God, I see myself between Paradise and Hell. And I will not choose anything over Paradise, even if I am cut to pieces and burned.”

In one of Karbala's most emotional moments, Hurr rode to Imam Hussain's camp, fell at his feet, and begged for forgiveness:“O son of the Messenger of Allah, I was the one who blocked your path. I never imagined it would end like this. Will you forgive me?”

Imam Hussain lifted him and said:“Hurr, you are free-just as your mother named you. Free in this world and the next.”

So, what changed Hurr?

It was Hussain. Each Muharram asks: Is there a Hurr among us?

No matter our past, repentance is always open. But too often, we treat Muharram as a ritual occasion rather than a call to transformation. Like Hurr, we can choose courage over comfort, clarity over confusion.

The True Purpose of Mourning

Islam values mourning. Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said:“Whoever weeps for Hussain... Allah grants him a place in Paradise.”

But mourning without awakening is hollow. If tears do not lead to transformation, we have missed the essence. We cry for Hussain's thirst but forget the thirsty. We grieve over oppression yet ignore modern-day Yazids.
Ritual is the bridge, not the destination.

The Sacredness of the Pulpit

In Yazid's court, Imam Zain

Abideen (A.S.) asked:“Will you allow me to ascend this pile of wood and speak words that please Allah?”

He didn't call it a pulpit, but a pile of wood. Because a pulpit becomes sacred only when truth is spoken from it.
Today, not every orator represents Karbala. Not every speech reflects Hussain.

Shaheed Ustad Murtaza Mutahhari said Imam Hussain was martyred three times: physically, in Karbala; in character, through slander, and in mission, through ritualization.

The third, Mutahhari argues, is the most dangerous-because it disguises betrayal as remembrance.

Reclaiming the Mission

This is not a call to abandon mourning. It is a call to balance it with mission.


Imam Hussain stood for justice, dignity, truth, and divine unity. He carried the Prophet's torch and reminded the world:“Silence in the face of injustice is betrayal of faith.”

Allama Iqbal echoed this cry:

نکل کر خانقاہوں سے ادا کر رسم شبيري
کہ فقر خانقاہي ہے فقط اندوہ و دلگيري

“Step out of the monasteries and embody the path of Shabbir;
For monasticism has been reduced to sorrow and despair.”

The Qur'an says:“But monasticism, which they invented-We did not prescribe it for them.” (Surah Al-Hadid, 57:27)

Iqbal's challenge is timeless: Are you weeping for Hussain-or living like Hussain?

True Azadari: Not Just Ritual

The real tribute to Hussain is not how loudly we cry, but how righteously we live.


If our tears dry without awakening conscience, we have not truly mourned. If we attend majalis but walk away unchanged-silent before oppression, indifferent to truth-then Karbala becomes a tale we admire but do not embody.

Imam Hussain did not sacrifice himself so we could merely grieve. He rose so we could rise. He bled so we could awaken.

To call ourselves Hussaini is not easy. It needs that courage, that willpower, and that basirat, so we are ready to give everything in the way of Allah.


To call Hussain by tongue is not easy. It reminds me of one more couplet by Allama Iqbal:

تیر و سنان و خنجر و شمشیرم آرزوست
با من میا کہ مسلک شبیرم آرزوست
“Arrows, spears, daggers, and swords - these are my desires.
Do not side with me, for the path of Shabbir is my desire.”

–

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