This is a collection of articles about a totally unique individual who, through his remarkable sacrifices, managed to change the course of history and the direction that mankind was heading for. He is none other than Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and the second son of Fatima and Ali, peace be upon them. Imam Husayn peace be upon him stood up to tyranny and oppression and gave everything he had, including his life and the lives of his most beloved sons and brothers as well as those of his closest allies, in order to awaken the masses, reform society and rectify the distortion that has been inflicted on Islam.
The articles in this work cover some aspects of the aims and objectives of Imam Husayn’s movement, the difference between his strategy and that of his brother Imam Hasan in facing tyranny and despotism, the examples he set, and the lessons that are learnt from the events that lead up to Karbala fourteen centuries ago. Besides the benefits of his movement, the personality of Imam Hussain peace be upon him as reflected by the many hadith and teachings of Prophet Muhammad is also discussed. Also included in this work are a number of questions and answers about the commemoration ceremonies observed by the Muslims around the world on the occasion of Ashura.
Contents
Some of the sayings of Imam Husayn v
What they said about Imam Husayn vii
Foreword ix
Chapter 1: Imam Husayn – a brief biography 1
Chapter 2: The Distinct Roles of Imams Hasan and Husayn 7
Society and the production of Tyrants 8
Character and Psychology of Tyrants 10
Encountering the Tyrants 11
Exposing the Savagery of Tyrants 13
Chapter 3: A Glimpse from the Ray of Imam Husayn 17
The Ma’soom Imam 17
Hadith on the Virtue of Imam Husayn 19
Companions of Imam Husayn 20
The Day of Ashura 20
The Torch of Guidance and Ark of Salvation 21
The Choice of Allah 22
The Severed Head of Imam Husayn 24
Conveying the Voice of Imam Husayn to the World 25
Imam Zayn al-Abidin and Ashura 26
Ahl-ul-Bayt and Ashura 27
Chapter 4: Upholding the Husayni Sha‘a’er 30
Benefits of the Husayni programs 31
Husayni Programs vs. Ploys of Colonialists 32
The significance of the mourning programs 33
Recommendations for the Husayniyahs 34
Chapter 5: Benefiting from Ashura 36
Chapter 6: Fatawa on Ashura Ceremonies 46
Fatwa of al-Imam al-Sheikh Abdul-Kareem al-Ha’ery 49
Fatwa of al-Imam al-Sheikh Muhammad Husayn al-Naa’ini 50
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma al-Sayyid al-Kho’i 51
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma al-Sayyid al-Seestani 52
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma al-Imam al-Sayyid Muhammad al- Shirazi 53
Husayni Ceremonies 54
Imam Husayn and Events of Ashura 55
Chest beating 56
Tatbir 56
Play Acting 59
Working on Ashura 59
Husayni Shrine 60
Zeyarah 60
Query on Ashura 62
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat 62
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma Abtahi 62
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma Mirza Jawad Tabrizi 62
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma Muhammad Sadiq Rouhani 62
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma Langaroudi 63
Fatwa of Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi 63
Q & A via Imam Shirazi’s website 65
Is it true that . . . 65
Who was the first to . . . 67
Historical background / evidence for Ashura practices 69
On the legality of Tatbir 70
Conducts of members of the Ahl-ul-Bayt 72
Chapter 7: Husayni Ceremonies- Interview with a Christian
Scholar 77
