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Cruelties Can't Kill Values

by Kazi Aulad Hossain
THE tragic events connected with the unequal fight at Karbala and the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husayn inspire all people irrespective of caste, creed and colour. Hazrat Imam Husayn’s was an unprecedented self sacrifice. He preferred to lay down his life and face all eventualities for a just cause. Now the question is why there was such a confrontation between Imam Husayn and his small party, and Yazid and his army Including a 4,000 strong cavalry led by Umar bin Saad and the sycophant Obaidullah, the local governor. The reasons are not far to seek. They were nothing but lust for power — power to be retained by hook or by crook, power that would perpetuate from generation to generation to rule an empire without let or hindrance.
- It may be worthwhile to discuss here briefly the genesis of the tragedy. Consequent upon the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (RAl'his elder son Hazrat Imam Hassan was elected the Caliph of the Islamic state. On hearing this news of election governor of Syria, Muawia invaded Iraq and the invasion obliged Caliph Hazrat Imam Hassan to take prompt action and he sent troops to Iraq led by Quais to suppress Muawia. But a false death news of Quais changed the course of the war and the Caliphs soldiers revolted against him. Realising the gravity of the situation Caliph Hazrat Imam Hassan relinquished his office in favour of Muawia on certain conditions, fwo of which were (1) Muawia would not nominate any one during his life time as Caliph after his death, and (2) after Muawia's death Hazrat Imam Husayn, the younger brother of Hazrat Imam Hassan, would become the Caliph of the Islamic state. Prima facie Muawia agreed to fulfil the said conditions but in the long run he fla-
grantly violated them. Muawia nominated his son Yazid to become the next Caliph after his death and thus deprived Hazrat Imam Husayn to become the next Caliph as per terms and conditions of the agreement.
This is how Yazid took power after Muawia's death and became the ruler of the Islamic state. As has been stated above he had not only the lust for power: since he wanted to perpetuate his power as ruler of the state, he adopted all sorts of cruel and illegal methods lor achieving his goal. When Hazrat Imam Husayn learnt that such a person (Yazid) had taken the charge of the Khilafat he declined to owe his allegiance to him for obvious reasons. Meanwhile, the people of Kufa being oppressed by their Krovincial governor Obaidullah abin Ziad, invited Hazrat Imam Husayn to Kufa to deliver them from the governors tyranny and misdeeds.
As and when the gracious Imam was thinking to nelp the oppressed people of Kufa some of his friends advised him not to proceed there as they apprehended danger during his stay in Kufa. At this Imam Husayn dispatched one of his relatives. Muslim, with instructions to send back a correct situation report. On receipt of a favourable report from Muslim the Imam left for Kufa with a small band of soldiers and members of his family. But while in Kufa he heard the sad news of Muslim's assassination and this obviously embarrassed him very much and he decided to stay in Kufa in order to fulfil his mission for which he had been there.
While proceeding further a tribal chief named Al Hora along with his cavalry blocked Imam Husayn's way as a result of which he changed his route and encamped with his small
party at Karbala, a desert plain situated on the side of river Euphrates, some 25 miles away from Kufa, on the first day of the lunar month of Muharram. The provincial governor obaidullah. however, did not like the Imam's movement and his encampment in and around Kufa and as such sent a 4.000 strong cavalry under the command of Umar bln Saad for siege with additional instruction to block the way leading to the river so that no one from Imam Husayn's party could have any access to water.
Thus Hazrat Imam Husayn and his small party were entrapped and it was out and out a conspiracy carefully designed to remove the lawful claimant of the Khilafat from the way of Yazid. It Is an irony of fate that Imam Husayn, the worthy son of the worthy father, and the worthy grandson of the worthy Sand father, that Is Prophet uhammad (SM). and his party were completely cut off from the outside world. No food, no water could reach them from any quarter for keeping their body and soul together. Considering the gravity of the situation and finding no other alternative Hazrat Imam Husayn proposed to the cavalry commander of the opposite side that he (Imam Husayn) and the party could be allowed to go back to the place from where they came or proceed to Damascus for discussing the whole matter with Yazid face to face for finding a just solution. The proposals were rejected although they were in consonance with Sura Consultation of the Holy Quran.
The fearless Imam decided to fight the unequal fight that started on the day of Ashura, the tenth of Maharram, in the midst of walling of the women and children. The tender lips of Imam Husayn's infant child could not be soaked with a drop
of water. The child was having temperature and when an arrow from opposite side struck him he embraced martyrdom in the lap of his affectionate father (Imam Husayn). Arrows struck Hazrat Imam Husayn too and he became very weak. Finally when a spear pierced his body he fell on the ground and quickly the cruel heartless Shimar did the last job by beheading the beloved grandson of the holy Prophet (SM) on behalf of the cavalry commander and also obviously on behalf of the local governor and Yazid.
And this is how the conspiracy was hatched and the unequal fight fought. The suffering of Hazrat Imam Husayn was unthinkable and unbearable, yet he fought to the last for a just cause and also for the cause of Islam. About cruelties perpetrated on Imam Husayn the renowned historian E Gibbon says: "In a distant age and climate the tragic scene of the death of Husayn will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.'' (Gibbon: Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.)
But the cruelties as referred to above or any other kind of cruelties can never belittle the pristine glories and basic principles of Islam as were preached and propounded by the holy Prophet (SM) and the first four pious Caliphs. There may be temporary set. backs in certain periods or in certain areas of the world, but as a chosen religion of Almighty Allah, the basic principles of Islam and the values will ever remain unchanged and they will thrive for ever. Cruelties can never kill them.
Hazrat Imam Husayn's great sacrifice teachers us if he could lay down his life for a just cause, then we should also be prepared to sacrifice at least a portion, a small portion, of our wealth, time and comfort for a just cause and also for the indigent people around us.