Remembering Hussain
Boston Arbaeen Walk 2024
Hussain ibn Ali (as) was born in Medina (in present day Saudi Arabia) to an extraordinary family. His father, Ali ibn Abi Taleb (Peace be upon him), was the first man to accept Islam. This fact is made even more exceptional given he was not even a teenager when he did so. Ali ibn Abi Taleb was a valiant and decorated warrior known in all of Arabia. However, at the same time, he was also a man who strove to uphold justice in all facets of life. His time was caliph of the Muslims was marked by no differentiation between the poor and the rich – the Arab and the non Arab.
His mother, Fatima (Peace be upon her), was no less illustrious. She was the daughter of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him). She was a women of the utmost generosity and piety. Right before her wedding, a poor person knocked on her door asking for help. Lady Fatima (Peace be upon her) gave the person her new wedding dress. She was following the Quranic principle, not to give to the poor and needy what you desire the least and want to get rid of, but to give from what you love the most.
Despite having this noble lineage, Imam Hussain (as) struggled with a great tyrant: Yazid ibn Muawiyah who was a deeply corrupt and immoral man. Yazid wanted to gain the allegiance of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). Imam Hussain could have lived a comfortable life under the shadow of Yazid’s government, but he knew that Yazid was a man who represented falsehood. Truth and falsehood can never be mixed.
For this stance, In the year 680 CE, Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him), along with his family and followers, set out from Medina to confront the oppressive rule of the caliph Yazid.
Their journey took them to the plains of Karbala, where they were surrounded and besieged by Yazid’s army. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) and his companions fought bravely, defending their rights and upholding the principles of justice and equality.
Imam Hussain’s (Peace be upon him) ultimate sacrifice at Karbala has become a symbol of courage, resilience, and the unwavering pursuit of truth. His story has inspired millions of people around the world, regardless of their religious affiliation. The Arbaeen walk, a commemoration of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom, is a testament to the enduring power of his legacy.
Mahatma Gandhi
“My faith is that the progress of Islam does not depend on the use of sword by its believers, but the result of the supreme sacrifice of Hussain, the great saint.”
WORLD LEADERS REMEMBERING
HUSSAIN IBN ALI (A.S)
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
“Imam Hussain’s sacrifice is for all groups and communities, an example of the path of righteousness.”
Rabindranath Tagore
“In order to keep alive justice and truth, instead of an army or weapons, success can be achieved by sacrificing lives, exactly what Imam Hussain did.”
Charles Dickens
“If Hussain fought to quench his worldly desires, then I do not understand why his sisters, wives and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore that he sacrificed purely for Islam.”
Thomas Carlyle
“The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Hussain and his companions were the rigid believers of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Hussain despite his minority marvels me!”