Sacrifice, Truth, and Love for a Cause – Reflecting on Muharram’s Universal Message

Islam is a religion that begins as well as ends on sacrifice. The first month of the Islamic calendar starts with the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions, in Karbala and ends with the sacrifice of Hazrat Abraham, when he was to sacrifice his son in the way of Allah, to test his loyalty and to make him a role model to be followed by Hazrat Usmaan and Hazrat Imam Hussain, respectively. But here we are going to talk about the lessons taught by the event of Karbala.

There are many lessons to be learnt from the unique event. A reasonable person can draw many lessons from Karbala. It should be kept in mind that barring prejudiced minds, no one can deny the universal messages of Muharram or Karbala. The lessons we keep learning from Karbala are discussed in the coming lines.

The first is giving one’s life for truth. Muharram teaches us that for the sake of truth, life must be sacrificed so that truth doesn’t die. Imam Hussain did the same. At that time, there were many pious people, who were deeply religious, but they were not ready to do what Imam Hussain and his Companions did.

At that time, Madina was the centre of religious rituals and customs, but at the helm of affairs, there were the people, who would use religion for some gains, but no one could afford to challenge the authority. However, it was only Imam Hussain and his progeny, who, for the sake of Islam, sacrificed their lives for the truth and that is the noble cause.

The second is preferring long-lasting gains over short-term gains. Imam Hussain and his family didn’t crave for worldly belongings. However, if they had craved for it, they would have got it. But they knew this fact that their home was the home, where Allah’s angels used to visit. It was the home where the world has no importance. It was the home, where the rivers of morality used to flow.

In the home of humility, materialism has no value. Wealth, lavish buildings, sweet dishes, slaves at service, etc., were useless in their eyes. Keeping these teachings in mind, Imam Hussain was brought up. It left an indelible mark on his life and paved the way for Karbala.

The third is love for Allah. The aim of life is to please Allah. This aim was always in the eyes of Imam Hussain. All the worldly things, plus our beautiful bodies, are Allah’s gifts. If these are sacrificed in the way of Allah, then it is a source of eternal happiness. The Giver takes back the things, which He had given us as gifts for a time being to be taken care of. This truth was given the practical shape by Imam in the hot sands of Karbala.

The fourth and last is to live for a cause. Imam had a cause to live for. Islam was completed in his house and he made its protection and to be Allah’s religion’s supporter, the cause to live for. At that time, there were many causes to live for. He could have remained silent and enjoyed every luxury. But he could not afford to follow others and see his grandfather’s religion manipulated by so-called champions of Islam. Imam’s cause is Karbala’s message.

In short, Muharram teaches the universal message of truth, loyalty, honesty, sacrificing one’s life for the sake of truth, etc., that are to be followed in letter and spirit. Commemorating martyrs on this occasion is a pious job, but how far we have been able to universalize the message of Muharram, is a question to be asked.

Muharram, which is a significant month in the Islamic calendar, is not facing challenges from outside forces. Instead, the challenges associated with Muharram are arising from within the community. In other words, the problems and obstacles related to the observance or commemoration of Muharram are internal issues that the community needs to address and resolve from within. These internal challenges could be related to how people observe the month, understand its significance, or uphold its teachings and values. The focus should be on addressing these internal issues to better preserve the true spirit and meaning of Muharram.

In our ranks, there are people like those, who shed the blood of Imam and his family. There are 57 Muslim countries, which can become one in the name of Imam Hussain and disseminate the real message of Karbala. How long shall we remember Imam for a specific number of days? It is a shame for us.

In our homes, there is no Hussainiyat. However, our homes are the homes of Yazidiyat. Throw out Yazids from your hearts, homes, societies, etc. If not, then Imam has to come back again to get martyred for the sake of our survival. Long live Islam! May Allah be pleased with Imam and his family!