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Secret of Karbala

Allah Y says in the Holy Qur’aan in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa, verse 96:

Allah Y says in the Holy Qur’aan in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa, verse 96:

Anyone who obeys Almighty Allah Y and His Messenger e

They will be in the company of those upon whom Allah Y showers blessings

Who are the blessed ones?

The Prophets

The testifiers

The martyrs

The pious that attain sainthood

Then the Holy Qur’aan says:

 What beautiful companions these are!

Let me shed some light on this ‘Beautiful Companionship’ before proceeding. Here the Holy Qur’aan is prescribing a fellowship and companionship. Imam Hassan Basri t, used to say to his disciples, ‘before choosing a companion, assess whether his friendship will benefit you on the ‘Day of Judgment’ or not.’ In this light Allah Y says in the Holy Qur’aan, in the 43^rd Sura, al-Zukhruf, verse 67:

All your friendships and associations based on the worldly values will terminate and be of no use or benefit to you on the Day of Judgment. Only friendship of the Allah Fearing (muttaqeen), who are the Awliya will benefit you on the Day of Judgment, so keep their company and fellowship. This is the significance of Suhba[1] .

So the Holy Qur’aan defines the categories of the blessed people, on whom is the Grace of Allah Y, the Prophets, the sincere, the martyrs, and the righteous. These are the main recipients of Allah Y’s blessing. The foremost amongst the blessed are the Prophets (Nabiyeen), the second are Testifiers to Truth (sidiqeen), the third are the martyrs (shuhada) who sacrifice their lives for Allah Y‘s pleasure and for His Deen and fourthly, the saints, the righteous (saaliheen) people blessed with Allah Y consciousness and piety (taqwa). 

All the good attributes, characteristics and blessings separately possessed by the various blessed personalities are collectively possessed in the Blessed Personality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e.  The Holy Prophet e   possessed a comprehensive, all embracing personality. Not a single blessing and  blessed attribute that Allah Y sent from the time of Hazrath Adam u and will send till the Day of Judgment was absent from the person of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. The great scholars and Imams (a’imma) agree unanimously on this.  If any good attribute, character, quality of conduct, moral or anything does not occur in the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e then it cannot be considered as a blessing.  The criterion of any attribute, character, quality of conduct, moral etc as to whether it is a blessing and good is whether it was possessed by the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. He e is the sole source of Allah Y‘s blessing. Whosoever got, is getting, will get any blessing (ni’mah) acquires it from the Holy Court of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. On the Day of Judgment also all blessing will emanate from him. This is his charity (khairaat) from his store of abundance (Kauthar). It is stated in the collection of Hadith in Sahih Bukhari that the Holy Prophet Muhammad e said,

The giver (yu’ti) is Allah Y and the distributor (qaasim) is the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. This is the crux of our belief (aqa’id). So whosoever wants anything from Allah Y, he should become the beggar at the door of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. This Divine Philosophy has been explained by Ala Hazrath, Maulana Shah Ahmad Raza Khan t, in the verses:

Therefore Ala Hazrath, Maulana Shah Ahmad Raza Khan t has stated in another place:

So, all the good attributes, characteristics and blessings separately possessed by the various blessed personalities are primarily possessed in the Blessed Personality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. Thereafter it is distributed to others.

Prophethood is a blessing and some of Allah Y’s chosen servants were made prophets, from Hazrath Adam u to Hazrath Isa u. This prophethood is a blessing of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e for it is acquired from him.  One may ask as to where is this mentioned? It is mentioned in the Holy Qur’aan in the 3^rd Sura, Aal-i-Imraan, verse 81 and elaborated in the Hadith. It is mentioned in the Holy Qur’aan that Allah Y gathered the souls of all Prophets in the World of Souls before the creation of this Temporal World, and convened a meeting with them. Imam Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani t has mentioned the details of this meeting in his book al-Mawahib al-Ladunniyyah. He says when the souls of the Prophets appeared before Allah Y there appeared a shining light which illuminated the entire atmosphere. The prophets asked Allah Y regarding this light and Allah Y told them this was the nur of his beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad e. They enquired as to whom Holy Prophet Muhammad e was and Allah Y told them that he will be sent as the last prophet and they would have to believe in his prophethood and pledge allegiance to him to be blessed with prophethood.

Allah Y said:

Every messenger had to bring faith on the Prophethood of Holy Prophet Muhammad e. The president of one country is not bound to recognize the president of another country for everyone possesses his own sovereignty. But all prophets were divinely instructed to accept the supreme sovereignty of The Holy Prophet Muhammad e in the form of a pledge and declaration that Allah Y witnessed.

The sidiqeen or embodiments and witnesses to truth have also been blessed here for it is stated:

The Holy Prophet Muhammad e will testify, so the sidiqeen have been given this as a blessing of Holy Prophet Muhammad e.

As regards the Aulia (saaliheen) they attained piety, proximity and spiritual grace as a blessing of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. They modeled themselves on his saintly life. So every blessing was given to every category of the blessed people through the blessing of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. Nabuwwah, Siddiqiat and saalihat was attained through his blessing.

The question arises as to whom the martyrs received the blessing of martyrdom? The Holy Prophet Muhammad e died a natural death so from who did the blessing of martyrdom emanate? Apparently it seems that this blessing was lacking in the Holy Prophet Muhammad e but actually it was not so. This is the secret of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain t. Apparently it seems that the martyrs possess something the Holy Prophet Muhammad e lacked but that cannot be. We believe that no partial superiority is available to any of the Ummah as compared to the Holy Prophet Muhammad e.  All the blessed people are small streams and he is the ocean. His hands are distributing blessings to the world. Imam Sharfuddin Bosiri t says:

Wa kulluhum min Rasūlillāhi multamisun

All the blessed received blessing from Rasulullah e

Gharfan minal baĥri aw rashfan minad diyami

(Like a) handful (of water) from the ocean or (a few) sips from continuous rains

All the prophets, truthful, martyrs and awliya stand before the  door of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e and beg the blessing of Allah Y  from him. Some may ask as to how people beg at the door of Holy Prophet e   since one should beg at the door of Allah Y? Have they created a difference between the door of Allah Y and door of Holy Prophet e  . There is no duality. The beings are two but their door is one. Allah Y says , ‘I will bless those who become beggars at the door of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e.’

Allah Y says in the Holy Qur’aan in the 2^nd Sura, al-Baqara, verse 186:

When My servants ask you

Thus the first thing is to go to the Holy Prophet Muhammad e and ask him

Ask about Me

Even for Allah Y they have to go to the Holy Prophet Muhammad e let alone, other blessings. Allah Y states that those who are His servants should beg at the door of Holy Prophet Muhammad e for His being and blessings.

‘I am near those who become first your beggar’

Allah Y resides in the hearts of the beggars of Holy Prophet Muhammad e.  52:14

Apparently the Holy Prophet Muhammad e could not be killed because Allah Y promised him protection from the hands of the enemy. Allah Y says in the 5^th Sura, al-Maida, verse 67:

Thus none will be able to kill the Holy Prophet e. Therefore martyrdom was actually not possible. The physical causes of martyrdom were present in his blessed life. Every act possesses two aspects; abstract existence and physical appearance. Actions are the physical appearance of salaah whilst remembrance of Allah Y is the abstract spirit.   

The abstract form of martyrdom was present in the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e but did not manifest physically due to the promise of Allah Y. The Holy Prophet e   desired to be martyred and the act to fulfill this desire did occur in his life. A person who fights in the Muslim army out of compulsion, and to fulfill a government decree will not be considered a martyr even if he is slain by the enemy, according to the shariah. The acceptance of acts is according to the niyyah according to the first hadith recorded in Bukhari. The Holy Qur’aan says that if the correct intention is prevalent and the act is not undertaken, then the reward is given despite not performing the act.

Allah Y says in the 4^th Sura, al-Nisaa, verse 100:

The intention to migrate, even if not completed is rewarded fully by Allah Y. So the intention of martyrdom existed in the Holy Prophet e   as per his dua recorded in Sahih Bukhari to be martyred again and again.

The physical format of martyrdom is divided into two types:

1.    Concealed Martyrdom (As-shahadate sirria) and

2.    Exposed Martyrdom (As-shahadate jahria).

These are the implicit or hidden martyrdom and the explicit or open martyrdom. Concealed Martyrdom (As-shahadate sirria) is mentioned in hadith e.g. poisoning etc. The Exposed Martyrdom (As-shahadate jahria) is to be killed in battle. Both these existed in the life of Holy Prophet Muhammad e but did not reach conclusion due to the promise of Allah Y.

In the Battlefield of Khyber a Jewess gave the Holy Prophet Muhammad e poisoned meat to eat. The companion with him died of the poison due to eating the meat whilst the Holy Prophet Muhammad e ate but did not die. This was the commencement of the Concealed Martyrdom (As-shahadate sirria) in his blessed life. The effects of this poison were prevalent till his death.  He was not killed by it but was not kept apart from its effect till his death. In hadith literature it is recorded that prior to his demise he said to Hazrath Aisha y, ‘From the Day of Khyber I feel the effects of the poisoning.’

The Exposed Martyrdom (As-shahadate jahria) had a commencement in his blessed life but he did not die as a result of it. In the Battle of Uhad he fulfilled the formal prerequisites but did not die as a result of it. The Holy Prophet Muhammad e was injured and wounded and his tooth was broken. If the entire tooth had come off it would have flawed his appearance and Allah Y would never allow this to happen to His Beloved, Holy Prophet e.  The tooth broke in such a way that it enhanced his beauty and shone more brilliantly, like well shaped diamond.

Both these acts of martyrdom were completed, as per the Divine Plan in two personalities carefully selected by Allah Y.  The commencement of both had been in the personality of Holy Prophet Muhammad e and would be fulfilled in these two personalities. These two had to be linked to the Holy Prophet Muhammad e, being from his family and spiritually linked to him. Allah Y would not permit an outsider to accomplish this feat for it would indebt the Holy Prophet Muhammad e to their generosity. The two selected would have to be literally a part of his body. The two personalities had been chosen thus Allah Y did not allow his male children to see a mature age. The two chosen ones were Imam Hassan t and Imam Hussain t. They were the sons of his beloved daughter, Hazrath Fatimah y.

About Hazrath Fatimah y the Holy Prophet e said:

Imam Haakim t has quoted a Hadith in al-mustadrik in which it is reported that the Holy Prophet e says:

The important statement in this context being, ‘Fatimah y is a piece of me.’ Thus the children of Hazrath Fatimah y are a piece of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. The two chosen ones had to resemble the Holy Prophet Muhammad e spiritually and physically. There had to be external as well as internal similarity. This similarity was not possible for outsiders.

Imam Hassan t and Imam Hussain t were genetically as well as spiritually connected to the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. It is mentioned in many books of the sihah, including Bukhari that Imam Hassan t was an exact physical copy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e from navel to head whilst Imam Hussain t was an exact physical copy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e from the navel to his feet. The Holy Prophet Muhammad e  said that Hazrath Fatimah y is the leader of the women of paradise whilst Imam Hassan t and Imam Hussain t are the leaders of the youth of paradise. The Holy Prophet Muhammad e also said that Imam Hassan t and Imam Hussain t are his two flowers in this world. He e also said, Hassan and Hussain are my sons, those who love them, love me whilst those who bear enmity towards them, bear enmity towards me.’ This statement elucidates the spiritual similarity to Holy Prophet Muhammad e.

The Holy Prophet e held the hand of Hazrath Imam Hassan t and Imam Hussain t and said:

Very importantly the Holy Prophet Muhammad e also stated, ‘Hassan and Hussain are from me and I am from them.’ Hazrath Imam Hassan t and Imam Hussain t being from the Holy Prophet Muhammad e  we can understand but what does He e mean when he says, ‘I am from them’?  This reveals the secret of martyrdom. The implicit or hidden martyrdom Concealed Martyrdom (As-shahadate sirria) and the explicit or open martyrdom The Exposed Martyrdom (As-shahadate jahria) which began from my life will attain completion from their lives. These were the mirrors that will mirror the blessing of martyrdom from the Holy Prophet Muhammad e  to show to the world.

Imam Hassan t was poisoned and his intestine came out of his blessed mouth in 70 pieces. This was the hidden shahadah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. The open shahadah which started at Uhad reached completion when Imam Hussain was martyred at Karbala .

A tree bears fruit but the fruit never appears on the trunk, it appears on the branches. If two branches of the same tree bear fruit, and one eats the fruit, one never says one ate the fruit of the branch, but one says one ate the fruit of the tree. The fruit appears on the branch but it is the fruit of the tree. The Holy Prophet Muhammad e is the tree of prophethood and he had two branches. One branch was Imam Hassan t and the other was Imam Hussain t. The branch of Hassan t bore the fruit of hidden shahadah whilst the branch of Imam Hussain t bore the fruit of open shahadah. These fruit of the blessing of shahadah are actually the fruit of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. Therefore the shahadah of Imam Hussain t is a chapter of the seerah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. Therefore in spite of the fact that many companions were martyred but none of the martyrdoms attained the popularity of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain t. Therefore all martyrdoms were known after the incident whilst Imam Hussaint’s Martyrdom was publicized by the Holy Prophet Muhammad e himself. Whilst watching Imam Hussain t playing the Holy Prophet e was tearing. On enquiry as to why he was crying he said that Hazrath Jibraeel u had informed him that people from his Ummah will martyr Imam Hussain t at a place called Karbala and thereafter Jibraeel u gave him some sand of Karbala.’

Umm Salama y the only wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e who was alive during the tragedy of Karbala reports:

This reflects the knowledge of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e for he knew she will be the only surviving wife during the event of Karbala .

Imam ibn Kathir includes a hadith  in his book  al-bidaaya wal nihaaya that Abu Hurraira t reported that he heard  the Holy Prophet e warn, "O People! Supplicate to Allah Y! Save me from the time of the end of 60 A.H. when young fools will sit on the throne of leadership." When Hazrath Abu Hurraira t saw that Yazid was pressurizing Imam Hussain t he realized this was the period prophesized by the Holy Prophet Muhammad e so he prayed to Allah Y to take his life before he witnesses the full scale oppression. Thus he died before witnessing Karbala .

Hazrath Ali t once while traveling through Iraq stopped at Karbala and said, "O People of my caravan this is the spot where my son will be martyred".

The Holy Prophet e used to kiss Imam Hassan t on his lips and Imam Hussain t on his neck. The Urafa have stated this was to give them a greater measure of patience.

Umm Salama y reports that on the day of Karbala she was asleep at noon when she dreamt about the Holy Prophet e who informed her of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain t. She cried and saw that the sand had turned red.

It is reported by Hazrath Abdullah ibn Abbas t:

It is reported that angels are present during Shahaadat (mashuud bin malaaik) as witnesses. The difference between the Shahaadat of Imam Hussain t and other martyrs is that whereas angels in general witness the martyrdom's; the martyrdom of Imam Hussain t was witnessed by The Holy Prophet Muhammad e. 

Imam Hussain t was informed of his martyrdom and where it would occur 50 years before its occurrence. Those who say he fought for power are mistaken, misled and misinformed. 

May we live in the love of Ahle Bayt and die with their love

Irshad Soofi Siddiqui

January 29, 2007

Muharram 9, 1428